Staff report

The Homer softball team notched a 15-8 victory over Soldotna on Tuesday in Kenai.

The game was being played in Kenai because that was the only playable field on the peninsula.

Homer only has been on its field for a day, so both Homer coach Bill Bell and Soldotna coach Kelli Knoebel said their teams improved as they got into the rhythm of being on a field again.

Homer is 1-0, while Soldotna is 0-2.

“We were just rusty but we looked better as the day went on,” Bell said. “There were a lot of things we haven’t been able to practice yet.”

Knoebel had a similar take.

“We got better,” she said. “That’s the main takeaway from today.”

After a back-and-forth battle, the game was tied at 8 after the 5 1-2 innings. Homer had seven runs in the bottom of the sixth, then pitcher Zoe Adkins closed the door in the seventh.

Knoebel said her team let a key error snowball in the sixth.

“That’s just a young, inexperienced team riding the waves in a softball game,” Knoebel said.

The coach said Miah Mead did great on the mound in her first varsity outing, striking out a pair.

Adkins worked all seven innings, giving up three earned runs, striking out 11 and walking two.

Delilah Harris had two doubles for Homer, while Hannah Hatfield was 4 for 5 and Sophie Ellison was 2 for 5.

For Soldotna, Emily Himz started the game with a hit and scored on a double by Brook Fisher.

Knoebel said that start was key.

Fisher shined at third base and was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while Makynzi Dedorski was 3 for 4 with two RBIs.