By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
MILL CITY, Ore.– After a 2-5 start to the season, the Santiam softball team has really come around.
Since that start, the Wolverines have been on a tear, stemming from better communication amongst one another and slowly coming together as a unit. Following their 17-2, three-inning victory over Central Linn, Santiam’s now 9-6 overall and 6-1 in 2A/1A Special District 3 play. The Wolverines, having won seven of their last eight games with their lone defeat over that span, was to Gervais on April 15.
That defeat to the Cougars served as a good motivator for Santiam as they swept last Friday’s doubleheader going into this week’s series with Central Linn and they’re hoping it’ll carry on over to this Friday’s doubleheader at Central Linn before going into next week’s series with Regis.
“Working more as a team for sure and the communication has really been coming together and I think that’s what is keeping it together and helping us win games. Coming together, communicating,” said Brooklyn Massey. “That Gervais game has really brought motivation for Regis. They do really play very similar and alike. It showed us that we can do that to Gervais, and we can do that to Regis if we put our minds to it.”
Massey led the Wolverines with 3RBI’s as Massey and four other Santiam batters picked up a hit in the victory on Wednesday. Patience at the plate was crucial as the Wolverines drew 14 walks and took advantage of two Cobra errors to build a 13-1 lead after the first inning and carried that momentum to the finish line.
With eight seniors on their roster this year, the hope is to bring home a league championship. And it’s something that’s still plausible with Santiam sitting behind Gervais and Regis in the league standings. The Cougars and Rams are undefeated to the Wolverines one league defeat in league so far.
The squad isn’t looking fully into next week just yet, Santiam will head down to Halsey Friday to see if they can finish off their second league sweep of the season when they play two against Central Linn.
“We need to come out and play hard (on Friday). It just seems like these hot, warm days and three games in two days. It’s a tough go. We’ll go down there and hopefully get it down pretty quickly and get ready for Regis next week,” said Santiam Head Coach Greg Grenbemer. “Our seniors, we got eight of them, they’re stepping up and they’re doing a great job communicating, bonding…when (Boston Flores) is pitching well and we’re hitting well, we’ll be rolling.”
Flores struck out six batters in the victory for the Wolverines while holding the Cobras to one hit. Chloe Kallai had the lone hit for Central Linn in the game.
