In the Media: North Marion and Cascade battle in a game for the ages
AURORA — Wednesday’s matchup between North Marion and Cascade was billed as a face-off between the league’s top two pitchers.
With North Marion’s Joe Piercey and Cascade’s Ryan Thompson taking the hill, runs were expected to come at a premium.
However, nobody could have predicted just how the showdown at North Marion High School would unfold. The two aces nearly matched each other pitch for pitch through 10 innings of scoreless baseball, before the Huskies finally scratched out the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th.
Piercey said it was simply perseverance that allowed the Huskies to pull through in the end.
“I knew it would come down to pitchers, so whoever stayed toughest would get the win,” he said. “It’s like a family out here, and you’re not going to let your family down. You’re going to fight as long as you can and as hard as you can for your family, and I knew I wasn’t going to give up. I think that helped out with people knowing I wasn’t going to give up, and so they weren’t going to give up.”
Piercey had quite possibly the most impressive game of his high school career, holding the Cougars to just one hit — a single in the third inning — through 11 innings of high-pressure baseball.
He struck out 21, and despite the number of innings pitched, seemed to get stronger as the night stretched on.
“All of a sudden, he found his curveball in about the eighth inning and then, boy, he really used that sucker. … He was better from the seventh inning on than he was in the first six,” said North Marion coach Randy Brack. “He was in total command.”
Ten of Piercey’s final 11 outs were recorded via strikeout.
The lone exception was a fly ball deep in foul territory down the right field line, chased down by Kip Pearson.
While Pearson was 0 for 3 with three strikeouts at the plate, Brack said he told the junior outfielder to keep his head in the game.
“I told him after that last at-bat, ‘Kip, we’re going to need a play from you in the outfield,’” said Brack.
As it turned out, the catch Pearson made down the right field line may have been the difference in the game, said Brack, pointing out that it not only ended the 11th inning and stranded a Cascade runner, but saved Piercey from having to throw more pitches, and also may have been the emotional springboard the team needed to win the game.
“We played real hard-nosed defense,” said Piercey. “We did the little things that got us where we needed to be.”
As good as Piercey was, Thompson was equally as impressive, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning, before North Marion’s A.J. Miller led off with a single.
For the game, Thompson struck out 14, and allowed just one hit in 10 innings of work. He was replaced in the 11th by Colin Goetsch, who walked Piercey, Miller and Adam Hayden, before surrendering the game-winning single to Jordan Hopper, with two outs and the bases loaded.
Piercey scored the game’s lone run. It was the second time this season that Piercey has pitched a complete game shutout and scored the game’s lone run. He did the same thing against Silverton on March 16.
Between Piercey and Thompson, it’s hard to imagine two vastly different pitchers.
The southpaw Piercey is small in stature, but features a smooth delivery and the ability to overpower opponents with his fastball or curveball.
Meanwhile, Thompson is a tall, lanky right-hander, with an old-school wind-up and high, quirky leg kick. He has a sidearm delivery, a deceptively quick fastball and an arsenal of slow curves and off-speed pitches.
“It’s deceptive, because you see a lot of leg, then you see an arm, and then the ball kind of gets on you real quick,” said Brack. “You’re not used to seeing that arm angle, and then he throws the off-speed pitches. … He was tough on us last year. … He’s a very good pitcher.”
Both pitchers were first-team all-league selections last year. Piercey was second-team all-state, while Thompson was an honorable mention.
“(Thompson) pitched great,” said Piercey. “He didn’t really let any runners get past second base until the seventh inning, and he still stayed tough, matching me the whole way.”
Above all, Brack said he was proud of the way the team battled, maintained its energy level throughout, and was able to keep up its defensive intensity, despite struggles at the plate.
“It’s a great win,” he said. “I wish it would have been a little easier, but I’ll take it.”
Earlier in the week, North Marion defeated Estacada, 9-4, at Estacada High School.
The game was originally scheduled for Monday, but pushed back to Tuesday due to rain.
The Huskies racked up a total of 11 hits, led by shortstop Robert Ramirez, who had two hits, two runs scored and two runs driven in.
Other key players offensively for the Huskies were Hayden, Ian Moore and Jordan Miller, who all had two hits apiece, including doubles.
On the hill, Jordan Hopper went the distance, allowing five hits and three walks, while striking out 11. With three defensive errors for North Marion, three of Hopper’s four runs allowed were unearned.
On Friday, North Marion was scheduled to play Molalla, but results were unavailable at press time. Next week, the Huskies (2-0 in league, 7-3 overall) will travel to La Salle on Monday and Stayton on Friday. Both games are scheduled for 4:30 p.m.