Eight-run third lifts Huskies past Newport
AURORA - After Newport extended their early lead to four runs in the third inning, North Marion was desperate for a rebuttal in the bottom of the third inning. Simply saying the Huskies accomplished that would be an understatement, as the Huskies' bats erupted for eight runs off of six hits - highlighted by a Tristan Wampole grand slam. The offensive outburst in the inning not only put the Huskies in front, but it allowed them to fend off a later comeback attempt from the Cubs as North Marion went on to defeat Newport 10-7 Friday night.
Starting pitcher Jordan Kendall recorded the first four outs with ease but began to struggle after taking a batted ball to the ankle in the second inning. Newport scored three runs in
the inning as they strung together four consecutive hits. A pair of hits and a critical error gave the Cubs another run in the third inning to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
Two North Marion batters were walked to begin the home-half of the third before Shane McKillip recorded the Huskies first hit to load the bases. Brock Breshears singled and Emry Patterson was hit by a pitch to account for North Marion's first two runs of the game while keeping the bases loaded for Tristan Wampole. Wampole took advantage of the first pitch he saw, belting it high over the left field fence. Jordan Kendall helped top off the Huskies' scoring in the inning with a two-RBI double to make the score 8-4.
Newport continued to fill the stat sheet, scoring three more runs over the next two innings to pull within one. Brock Breshears was placed on the mound for the sixth and seventh innings to keep the Cubs' bats quiet. Breshears accomplished the task by allowing just two runners to reach base in the final two innings, holding Newport scoreless for the first time since the first inning on the way to his first save.
Breshears was not only effective on the mound, but from the batter's box too, going 2-for-3 on the day - marking the only multi-hit day on the Huskies' box score. Wampole and Patterson came through with runners on base, evidenced by four and three RBIs, respectively. North Marion combined for nine hits on the day, just one shy of the Cubs' hit total. Patterson was credited with the win on the mound after two innings of two-hit relief.
After Friday's win, the Huskies improved their record to 2-0 - the first time a North Marion baseball team has started out with a pair of wins since the 2009 campaign which started 4-0. Newport drops to an even 1-1. The Huskies look to keep things rolling into a game with Scappoose scheduled for Tuesday from Bob Brack Stadium. North Marion seeks revenge with the Indians who have knocked the Huskies out of postseason contention in back-to-back seasons.