North Marion hands Marist first loss behind Barrell's late-game homer

EUGENE - Sophomore Nat Barrell broke up a scoreless contest with a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning and that was all the offense that North Marion needed to come away from Marist High School with a 2-0 win on Thursday evening.

With Wyatt Moore on second base, Barrell stepped in with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. The count worked its way to 2-2 before Barrell sent the ball over the center field fence, bringing in a pair of runs for North Marion (3-1). Brock Breshears - who started the contest on the mound - put the finishing touches on the Huskies' victory with yet another effecive inning, finishing with the complete game shutout win to credit to his name. Marist (3-1) lost for the first time in the young 2013 season.

The lack of runs through seven innings did not represent the amount of scoring opportunities that each team had. The Huskies stranded runners in scoring position in five of the seven innings, while Marist did the same in three innings. North Marion dodged a huge bullet in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Spartans loaded up the bases with no outs. But after two ground balls and a line out, the Huskies' shutout bid was preserved.

Brock Breshears allowed just five hits and one walk over his eight innings on the hill. Breshears struck out three batters, using 102 pitches to secure the complete game shutout.

Nat Barrell had two hits and two RBIs on the day to lead the Huskies' offensive box score. Kyle Williamson successfuly performed his task as leadoff hitter by reaching base in three of four plate appearances. Both teams finished with five hits and an error in what was a very clean baseball game.

The Huskies improve to 3-1 overall and more impressively 2-0 against 5A opponents. The last time a North Marion baseball team notched two wins against 5A opponents in a single season was 2011 when the Huskies defeated Marshfield and Willamette. North Marion has already surpassed last year's extra-inning win total with two and last year's home run mark. The Huskies return to Bob Brack Stadium on Saturday afternoon for a pair of matchups with the Astoria Fighting Fishermen. Last year, the Fishermen and Huskies split a doubleheader matchup in Astoria. Game one of the twin bill is set to kickoff at 12:00pm with the nightcap to follow thereafter.

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