Offense delayed in latest one-run loss
MADRAS, Ore. – The descriptive words to sum up North Marion’s losses this season are running low. You can only use the words frustrating, painful, heartbreaking, and synonyms of the like so many times before they lose their meaning on paper. Nevertheless, the feeling repeats itself game after game
as the Huskies tumble down to 4-6 in league play. Of the six league losses, four of them have been single-run shortcomings, and Monday’s game at Madras fell under that category. The game sat tied at 1-1 through the middle innings before the White Buffaloes picked up three combined runs in the fifth and sixth innings to lead 4-1. North Marion – heading into the final inning – needed to pick up three runs, and has been the case all season, they picked up just two, falling one run short in a disheartening 4-3 loss.
Both sides went down without a base runner in the first inning, and Wyatt Moore recorded the game’s first hit in the bottom of the second. The Madras wind helped Wyatt out as the ball dropped down right in front of the disoriented White Buffalo left fielder. But, Moore was stranded in scoring position at the inning’s end.
Madras got their first tick mark in the runs column in the following half inning, as they recorded three base hits. With the bases loaded and only one out, the Huskies played an outstanding game of damage control, as they allowed just one run to score on a single while Brock Breshears did his job on the mound with a strike out and a forced fly out. Madras held the 1-0 lead through two innings.
The Huskies did not wait long to steal the run back as Nat Barrell was to credit for one third-inning run. Nat singled through the hole at short, and was advanced around the bases on a sacrifice bunt by Breshears and a ground out by Kyle Williamson. As ball four passed by for Zach Williamson, the Buff’s catcher mishandled it, allowing Barrell to score. The game would remain in this 1-1 tie for the next couple of innings.
Madras scored another in the bottom of the fifth as a walk put a runner on base and a single later in the inning scored that runner.
Controversy struck in the top of the sixth inning, when Brandan Hopper occupied second base with Tristan Wampole up to bat. In one of the most obvious calls to be made all season long, Madras’ pitcher appeared to struggle with deciding what to do on the mound, as he committed a clear-cut balk. Even a young baseball player could discern that something was wrong with the pitcher’s approach, but apparently the base umpire was snoozing away at the time, because he claimed to not have seen a thing. The badly botched call did not go unnoticed by the Huskies’ coaching staff, as the Coach Brack duo was upon the umpire crew immediately after the poorly officiated play. The longer the coaches argued their side, the more oblivious the umpires became. The right call would have resulted in a runner on third with just a single out, and a serious North Marion scoring threat.
Conversely, Madras scored two runs in the sixth inning to stretch the term ‘close game.’ On a luck of the draw swing, the White Buffaloes batter had his popup fall just fair down the shallow left field line. Fluke hits like these have been hurting the Huskies, especially as of late. On a double play ball hit to Kyle at shortstop, Williamson made the out at second but the back end of the twin killing could not be completed, extending the Buffs’ inning. Two back-to-back base hits accounted for Madras’ two runs in the inning, and the Buffaloes jumped out to a 4-1 lead.
The Huskies tried to climb their way back into things, and they did accomplish that. Danny Robles and Nat Barrell both singled, placing runners at first and second with two outs for Kyle Williamson. Kyle came up big with a double to left-center, which scored both of the runners on base. However, Kyle could not be brought home himself, and the Huskies were again a run short of completing the comeback.
Nat Barrell led the offensive charge with two hits on the day. Following Nat were Kyle, Wyatt, and Danny – all with one hit of their own. Kyle also managed to pick up the only two RBIs of the game for North Marion. On the mound Brock Breshears allowed ten hits and the four runs – all of which were earned. It took Brock 105 pitches to complete the six innings, as he also walked three while striking out three. In retrospect, Andrew Fine of Madras struck out nine Husky batters.
The game, which was moved to Madras early on when the rain at North Marion did not appear to be stopping, plunged the Huskies’ league record to 4-6. North Marion will be back at home on Tuesday, as they host the Molalla Indians. The Huskies split the first two games of the series with a 5-3 loss and a commanding 8-2 win. Game time is 5PM at Bob Brack Stadium.