In the Media: Astoria Fishermen, North Marion Huskies split
The win streak is back to “one” for the Astoria baseball team, as the North Marion Huskies pulled off the shocker of the weekend in Class 4A baseball with a 10-4 win over the Fishermen in Game 1 of a doubleheader Saturday at Aiken Field.
It was Astoria’s first loss on their home turf since the 2008 season, and ends a 21-game win streak going back to last year.
Things were back to normal in Game 2, with Astoria scoring a five-inning, 10-0 victory.
The Fishermen return to action today in the annual Glencoe Tournament at Hillsboro Stadium, where Astoria will face Hood River at 12:30 p.m. The winner will play at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday against the winner of Century vs. Silverton.
Astoria’s Conor Harber was 3-for-4 with a double in Game 1, then went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs in the second game to lead the Fishermen.
Harber also pitched one inning of Game 2, striking out all three batters he faced.
But it was North Marion that had the bats working in the opener.
The Huskies scored two runs in each of their first two at-bats, then broke a 4-4 tie with four runs in the top of the sixth inning.
North Marion’s Brandan Hopper was 4-for-4 with two doubles in Game 1, while teammate Tristan Wampole had three singles, and drove in seven runs.
Pitchers Danny Robles and Brock Breshears combined for eight strikeouts and three walks, and limited Astoria to six hits.
The Game 1 loss was Astoria’s first defeat since a loss at Newport April 7 of last season. The Cubs were also the last team to beat the Fish at Aiken Field (May 10, 2008).
The Fishermen bounced back in the nightcap, as starter Andrew Bergeson shut down the North Marion offense, allowing just two hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
Astoria had all the runs it would need with a six-run rally in the second inning, highlighted by two-run doubles from both Ryan Johnson and Harber.
Will Samp and Harber both scored on wild pitches.
The Fish tacked on three runs in the third, with a run-scoring single by Bergeson and another two-run double from Harber.
“It was a painful three or four innings,” in Game 1, said Astoria coach Brian Babbitt. “We didn’t make a couple plays, and our hitting has been a bit of a disappointment. Our approach has been a little too cautious.
“But I was happy with the response,” he said of the Game 2 victory. “I’ve said before, it’s all about how you come back.”