In the Media: Huskies bounce back from Estacada loss

TURNER — It took six innings of baseball, but North Marion finally took advantage of putting runners in scoring position.

The Huskies stranded 11 runners in the course of the game, but rallied late to defeat Cascade 10-2 on Friday at Cascade High School.

The Huskies put up two runs in the top of the first inning, but, despite plenty of scoring opportunities, were held scoreless for the next four innings.

Cascade eventually tied the game 2-2 in the fifth, before North Marion finally broke through with a five-run inning in the sixth.

“As soon as we did that, Cascade was pretty much done at that time,” said Huskies coach Randy Brack.

North Marion picked up someinsurance with three more runs in the seventh.

Junior first baseman Adam Hayden led the way for the Huskies, with three hits, including a double in the seventh inning. He also scored two runs and knocked in three RBIs.

On the mound, Jordan Hopper went the distance, striking out 10, while allowing three hits and four walks. Brack said it wasn’t Hopper’s sharpest outing of the season, but he pitched well enough that the team needed to give him more support.

“When you’re just not cashing in on scoring opportunities, you’re walking on thin ice,” said Brack. “Any mistake or one big swing for (Cascade), and the game is completely changed.”

“Then the team that looks like they should be winning, ends up losing,” Brack said.

Hopper also helped his own cause at the plate. His double in the sixth inning drove in two runs and kept the Huskies’ rally alive. He finished the game with a pair of base hits, to go along with one walk and one run scored.

Despite the offensive outburst, Brack said hitting continues to be the team’s weak point.

“We are very offensively challenged,” he said. “It’s turning around a little bit, but we have to work our tails off for everything we can get.”

Ian Moore and Zach Borowczak also had two hits apiece for the Huskies on Friday.

The win comes just two days after the Huskies lost their first game of the Capital Conference season. North Marion fell to Estacada 7-6 on Wednesday.

It was the Rangers’ first conference win since May of 2007, and their third win overall in the past three years.

“We didn’t play real sharp and (Estacada) did,” said Brack. “Give them some credit. They played very, very well, when they needed to. They came up with some big plays and big pitches toward the end of the game. … They did everything they had to do to win that game. When it came right down to it, we didn’t deserve to win that game.

“We kind of dug ourselves a hole and never could get out of it.”

North Marion had just six hits in that game, and also made three errors in the field. Meanwhile, pitchers A.J. Miller and Hayden combined to allow 10 hits and eight walks.

After gaining a 5-3 advantage in the third inning, Estacada never relinquished its lead.

While disappointed by the outcome, Brack said the one loss won’t determine North Marion’s season.

“Hopefully, it was just a little hiccup in our season,” he said. “We’re either going to use it to make us better, or in two weeks we’re going (realize) we weren’t that good anyway. It’s going to go one way or the other. To think that we were going to run the table on the league, that was probably stretching it just a little. At the same time, you don’t want to lose any games.

“It just goes to show you that baseball’s such an interesting game. A 6-0 team can lose to an 0-6 team. In other sports, you don’t see that as much.”

This week, North Marion was scheduled to play at Molalla on Monday, and will return to action at home Wednesday against La Salle. Game time is 4:40 p.m.

At 7-1, North Marion (12-4 overall) maintains first place in the Capital Conference.

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