The Philomath High School softball team fell into a deep hole early Wednesday at Stayton and came home with a 15-1 loss in five innings.
The Warriors scored its lone run in the top of the first when senior Kaylie Kohler hit a triple to left field. Later with two outs, Kohler stole home for the 1-0 lead.
But Stayton responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning with walks and errors contributing to the home team’s cause. The Eagles only hit of the inning drove in two runs on a single by the No. 8 hitter in the lineup, Madison Schacher.
The Eagles poured on another 10 runs in the second inning and the Warriors were not able to recover.
Kohler had the team’s two hits — she added a single in the third inning to her game-opening triple. Philomath tried three pitchers in the circle with Haley King, Libby Kramer and Hailey Smith. Of those three, Smith had the most effectiveness with two hits, one run and one walk allowed in two innings of work.
Mylie Walker and Kenzi Hollenbeck each had two hits to lead Stayton (6-4 overall, 2-0 Oregon West). Kenzi Beougher pitched all five innings and allowed two hits and two walks with one strikeout.
The Warriors (7-4, 1-1) play at home Thursday against unbeaten Cascade.
