Henley (16-2) pushed their winning streak to 12 and strengthened their hold on the OSAA No. 1 ranking with a sweep of Crook County (11-6) in an abbreviated doubleheader Saturday.
The Hornets had previously traveled to face the Cowgirls, who came into the weekend ranked No. 8, in a doubleheader April 3. Henley won the first game 15-12 that day, but the second game was called due to darkness after the fourth inning with the score tied 2-2. On Saturday, Crook County made the trip to Henley to finish that game and play a new one. Here’s how the day unfolded.
Game 1: Henley 10, Crook County 5
The game picked up where it left off: in the top of the fifth inning with Henley up to bat. Crook County pitcher Tylee Cossitt, who had initially started the game April 3, walked the first two batters but got the next three out–including back-to-back strikeouts with runners on second and third to end the inning.
Annie Campos didn’t allow a hit in the bottom of the fifth, but a passed ball followed by back-to-back errors allowed the Cowgirls to take a 3-2 lead heading into the sixth. It was the first time Henley had trailed since their 16-1 loss to South Umpqua March 26.
The Hornets responded with a five-run sixth inning, scoring on two bases-loaded walks, two bases-loaded hit-by-pitches and one fielder’s choice. Crook County pitcher Raelynn Weaver, who was brought in after Henley took a 5-3 lead, recorded three straight strikeouts to end the inning.
After the Cowgirls went down in order in the bottom of the sixth, the Hornets extended their lead in the top of the seventh with a leadoff home run by Anna Harper and an RBI single by Natalie Hudson. Trailing 10-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Crook County managed to score a pair of runs with two outs (on an error and a Weaver single) before Henley shut the door.
Over the entire game, Hudson was 1-for-3 with 3 RBI; Campos was 1-for-3 with 2 RBI; Layliana Segura was 0-for-2 with 2 RBI and 3 walks; Anna Harper was 1-for-2 with 1 RBI and 3 walks; Samantha Moore was 1-for-2 with 1 RBI; and Belle Birch 0-for-3 with 1 RBI.
Gracie White started the game in the circle for Henley April 3. In 4.0 innings, she allowed 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 earned run, walked 3 and struck out 2. Campos’ final line was 3.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K.
For Crook County, Raelynn Weaver was 1-for-1 with 1 RBI; Danner Hemphill was 1-for-3 with 1 RBI; Alyson Ware was 0-for-2 with 1 RBI; and Tylee Cossitt was 1-for-3 with a triple and 2 stolen bases. Cossitt’s final line in the circle was 5.0 IP, 4 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 10 BB, 7 K. Weaver’s was 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.
Game 2: Henley 9, Crook County 8 (9 innings)
A game that wasn’t originally on the schedule turned out to be one of Henley’s most memorable regular-season matchups in recent years, as they gave up the first six runs and trailed 8-3 entering the bottom of the seventh inning but pulled off a comeback thanks to some good plate discipline and excellent relief pitching by Layliana Segura and Annie Campos.
The Hornets struggled in the early innings, allowing three runs in the first and three in the third while being held hitless in the first and second. The bats started to wake up in the bottom of the third; Henley sent seven hitters to the plate and got on the board with a two-run home run by Anna Harper–her second of the day and team-high fifth of the season.
Segura, who was brought in for Gracie White with two outs in the third inning, settled in quickly, allowing one baserunner and recording two strikeouts in the top of the fourth. That allowed Henley to trim the deficit further in the bottom half of the inning, with Suzy Nichols driving in a run to make it 6-3.
In the fifth inning, Segura again allowed just one baserunner, but the Hornets went down in order. The Cowgirls pushed the lead back out to five in the top of the sixth on a two-out, two-run double by Tylee Cossitt, and Henley stranded a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth.
Segura worked a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh, giving her team one last chance. Crook County starter Jaycee Vilastrigo needed three outs to wrap up a complete game win and had done well to limit Henley, allowing 6 hits and 3 runs while walking 3 and striking out 6. However, it was the Hornets’ fourth time through the lineup, and they had found the answers they needed.
First, Henley loaded the bases with a Suzy Nichols double, an Anna Harper walk and a Samantha Moore hit-by-pitch. Then, Campos and Belle Birch drew back-to-back walks to cut the Cowgirls’ lead to 8-5. After Raelynn Weaver was brought in to relieve Vilastrigo, Layliana Segura hit a sacrifice fly to right field that turned into a double play when Crook County managed to get another out on the basepaths.
With two outs, a runner on third and the Hornets trailing 8-6, Jillian Vickery drew a four-pitch walk. What followed was a sequence reminiscent of Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, as Henley came one strike away from losing on three consecutive batters but managed to push the tying run across before the third out. Natalie Hudson hit an RBI single and White reached on an error at third to set the table for Nichols, who drew a walk from a 2-2 count to send the game to extra innings.
Campos was brought in to pitch the eighth inning and allowed only a single while bookending the frame with strikeouts. After Weaver didn’t allow a hit in the bottom half of the inning, Campos struck out three in the top of the ninth, with the last one stranding a runner at second.
The Hornets loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Cowgirls threw the lead runner out at home on a ground ball to the circle. That brought up Harper, who had struck out swinging with a full count to end the seventh inning.
Once again, Harper got a full count with the bases loaded and a chance to walk it off for Henley. This time, she read the pitch perfectly, taking ball four to give the Hornets the win.
Harper finished 1-for-4 with 3 RBI; Nichols was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI; Hudson was 2-for-3 with 1 RBI; Campos was 1-for-3 with 1 RBI; Birch was 1-for-4 with 1 RBI; and Segura was 0-for-5 with 1 RBI. In the circle, Segura’s final line was 4.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. Campos’ final line was 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K.
Segura entered Saturday having pitched a total of three innings across three games this season. The 17 batters she faced Saturday were as many as she faced in her other three appearances combined.
For Crook County, Cossitt was 2-for-4 with 3 RBI; Alyson Ware was 2-for-5 with 2 RBI; Kaylyn Fildes was 1-for-5 with 1 RBI; Azsmita Pennington was 1-for-5 with 1 RBI; and Adyson Luna was 0-for-1 with 1 RBI. Vilastrigo’s final line in the circle was 6.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 6 BB, 6 K. Weaver’s was 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 1 K.
Henley resumes Skyline Conference play at home against Phoenix (7-7, 4-4) at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Crook County resumes Tri-Valley Conference play with a trip to defending 4A champion The Dalles/Dufur (10-1, 6-0) at 4:30 p.m. Monday.
