The Philomath High School softball team dropped below .500 in Oregon West Conference play Wednesday with an 18-8 loss at Sweet Home.
The Warriors take records of 3-11 overall and 2-3 in the league into a game scheduled for Thursday at North Marion.
Sweet Home (2-8, 1-3) trailed the Warriors 4-1 going into the bottom of the second. The Huskies put up four runs in the inning for a 5-4 lead and then tacked on eight more in the bottom of the third.
Philomath scored four runs in the fourth to cut the Sweet Home lead down to 13-8. The Huskies countered with five runs over the fifth and sixth innings. The home team ended it on the 10-run mercy rule with two outs in the sixth.
Errors and walks worked against the Warriors in this one. Philomath had six errors in the field and three pitchers combined for 12 walks.
Philomath had a promising start with three runs in the top of the first. Leadoff batter Mia Bennett singled and Grace Bennett followed with a double for the team’s first run. Janae Traglia then had a one-run single to make it 2-0. Traglia later scored on an error.
Presley Reichhuber walked and came around to score in the second inning.
In the fourth, Hannah Bennett singled and later came around to score on an error. Reichhuber and Laighla Hockema both reached on errors and scored on passed balls. Grace Bennett hit her second double of the game and scored on a two-out double by Ahnika Tryon.
Grace Bennett went 3 for 3 and Mia Bennett finished 2 for 3 to lead the team offensively. In the circle, Elizabeth Morales-Marquez, Briahna Ledbetter and Ahnika Tryon all saw time.
