Williamson's walk-off single sends Huskies past Wilsonville in extra-inning opener
AURORA - The script could not have been written better for the opening game of the 2013 season. Despite predictions of rain earlier in the week, the late afternoon skies cleared and yielded temperatures which reached the low 60s. Bob Brack Stadium was looking as prestine as ever. Baseball had finally returned after a seven-month hiatus. The stage was set for a perfect day, and the Huskies put an exclamation point on things with a thrilling, extra-inning, walkoff victory over the Wilsonville Wildcats.
After the two teams played to a draw through seven innings, Kyle Williamson stepped in with Keltin Boykin on second with two outs in the bottom of the eig
hth inning. On a 1-2 count, Williamson delivered a clutch base hit into shallow left field, as Boykin turned the burners on, rounded third, and slid home to beat the throw from the outfield. After accumulating just one hit through the first seven frames, the Huskies used two hits in the eighth - including Williamson's game-winner - to pick up the victory.
North Marion got on the board first with one tally in the bottom of the fourth inning. Emry Patterson advanced three bases to score on a double down the right field line from Tristan Wampole. Wilsonville did not take long to counter, as in the top of the fifth, the Wildcats scored a run on a two-out double.
The Huskies defense - who had several fantastic plays throughout the game - held strong, giving the offense the chance to win in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings. Kyle Williamson did just that, sending North Marion home with the opening day win.
Wyatt Moore and Brock Breshears both handled the pitching duties for North Marion. Moore earned the start and pitched the first four and two-thirds, allowing just two hits and one run - which was unearned. Breshears took the ball in the fifth and cruised his way to the win, allowing just one Wildcat hit. The two combined for six strikeouts.
North Marion has recorded three hits on opening day in three of the last four years, winning two of them. Wilsonville has lost their season opener in back-to-back years. The Huskies are back at home on Friday for a 5:00pm first pitch with Newport for the teams' first matchup since the Cubs swept North Marion in a doubleheader in March 2010.