The Homer Lady Mariner softball team hosted six games this last week, finishing 3-3 with wins against league opponents Soldotna and Kenai before losing two games to East High, and then one against Service. They finished the action on Saturday by avenging their loss to the Service Cougars.
The Mariners stole 12 bases in their first game against the Soldotna Stars while they took a two-run lead in the first inning. Seniors Maggie Larue, Miranda Beach and Katie Kirsis each knocked home a run to secure the lead as LaRue pitched a shutout at the defensive end.
Thursday night the Mariners offense came alive in the second inning against the Kenai Kardinals, tallying seven of their 13 runs. LaRue was at the helm once again, throwing just 57 pitches and allowing three runs, winning 13-3.
The East Anchorage Thunderbirds rolled into town for a non-league double header on Friday, proving their rank as they allowed just one hit through four innings, defeating Homer 14-0 in their first matchup. LaRue threw 177 pitches in her effort. Later that day, the Mariners picked up one run off a McKie Needham RBI but couldn’t match the bats of the T-Birds, losing 10-1. Needham also started and finished the game from the pitcher’s mound.
Saturday showed another double header against the Service High Cougars. The Mariners gave up the first win late in the game as a six-run rally in the fifth inning by the Cougars took the high scoring comeback lead. Service won 14-13 in a surprising turn of events. Mikayla Morrison led the Mariners’ offensive charge, supplying four runs batted in, followed by Kirsis’ three.
Homer came out strong in the following game knowing that they could put runs on the board, having three four-run innings and walking away with a 15-6 victory. Needham earned the win defensively as the pitcher, and helped out her own cause, getting on base twice.
The first place Lady Mariners host the second place Kodiak Bears tonight in a Northern Lights Conference battle beginning at 5 p.m. at Homer’s Jack Gist Fields.