Huskies finish 1-2 in tournament vs. state's top pitchers
AURORA - The Huskies finished 1-2 in the North Marion Tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday, grinding it out in some tough competition with the state's elite arms.
Tuesday - Siuslaw 3, North Marion 0
The Huskies were slated against Jake Thompson - an Oregon State commit who was recorded in the low 90s throughout the game. Thompson made things difficult for the Huskies, finishing with just one hit allowed and striking out 17.
Siuslaw scored one run in three different innings. The Vikings picked up their first run in the opening frame off of a walk that came around to score on a wild pitch. In the fourth, an infield single with runners on the corners plated another run for the Vikings. The final run came in the sixth off of an RBI triple. The Vikings only recorded three runs off of five hits in the contest, but behind the arm of Thompson, that was plenty to earn the win.
North Marion's only base hit came from Emry Patterson who singled with two outs in the fourth inning.
Wyatt Moore pitched the complete game and gave up three runs, all earned. Moore struggled to find the zone consistently, walking eight batters, something the Huskies' ace is not known for. North Marion's defense was perfect on the day, playing error-free baseball for the first time this season.
Wednesday - North Marion 7, Hidden Valley 1
Junior Brock Breshears was superb on the mound once again for North Marion who comfortably defeated the Mustangs 7-1 in Wednesday's first game. Not only was the Huskies' defense on track, North Marion set a season-high mark in hits with ten in the game. A culmination of efficient play from both sides of the ball led the Huskies' to their biggest winning margin of the season.
In the home-half of the third, a pair of walks and a two-out Wyatt Moore single loaded the bases up for Emry Patterson, who endured a solid at bat to draw a walk and score the Huskies' first run.
Most of North Marion's damage was done in the fourth inning, which saw five runs off of four hits. Shane McKillip, Kyle Williamson, and Emry Patterson all singled in the inning while Tristan Wampole doubled. A combination of timely hitting and a struggling Hidden Valley battery allowed North Marion to jump out to a 6-0 lead.
Hidden Valley did post one run in the fifth after two consecutive hits put runners aboard and North Marion's lone error on the day score a run.
An RBI single by Nat Barrell in the sixth inning closed the door on Hidden Valley as the Huskies went on to win 7-1.
Brock Breshears went the full seven innings on the hill, allowing just the four hits and one unearned run. Brock surrendered just one walk while striking out six on the way to his third win of the season. Eight of the nine Husky starters earned a base hit in the game, with Nat Barrell and Jordan Kendall leading the way with two apiece.
Wednesday - Valley Catholic 6, North Marion 5
Things appeared to be going the Huskies' way in the final game of the North Marion Tournament, but one big inning by the Valiants proved too much to overcome as Valley Catholic went on to defeat North Marion 6-5. Valley Catholic was shutout in six of the seven innings, but a six-run, seven-hit disaster of an inning was enough to send the Valiants home with their only win of the tournament. The Huskies did the best they could to come back from the nightmarish inning, but the last two North Marion batters struck out in the seventh inning, stranding the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position.
Lefty Carter Buuck was on the mound for Valley Catholic, as the Valiants saved their best arm for this game. Buuck had started two contests prior to Wednesday, giving up only one hit in eleven innings of work while throwing a perfect game in the season opener versus Scappoose. But North Marion shattered that mark, jolting Buuck for ten hits in his seven innings atop the hill. Despite the offensive outburst from the Huskies, Buuck did earn the win - improving to 2-1 on the season.
Tristan Wampole had RBI base hits in both the first and third innings, accounting for two early North Marion runs. Wampole also scored in the third inning after Wyatt Moore reached on an error. The Huskies tacked on another in the fourth, as pinch-running Drew Torian slid home safely on a passed ball, granting North Marion the 4-0 lead through four.
Jordan Kendall allowed just two hits through the first four innings, but he was hit hard in the fifth. Five singles in the span of six batters ended Kendall's day in favor of Emry Patterson. Patterson's tenure atop the mound was short-lived, as he threw two pitches which were both converted into more Valiants' hits. Hunter Beachy was called upon to cool down the Valley Catholic bats, and Beachy sat down eight of the final nine batters in order.
Trailing 6-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the heart of the lineup was up to bat for the Huskies. Keltin Boykin and Brock Breshears opened up the inning with back-to-back singles, and a wild pitch put the two runners in scoring position. Kyle Williamson pulled the Huskies within one on an RBI groundout. Two runners were in scoring position once again after Tristan Wampole walked and stole a base. Wyatt Moore and Nat Barrell both had chances to bring in the tying and winning runs, but both struck out to leave the Huskies 90-feet short of tying the game.
Nat Barrell highlighted the Huskies' box score with three hits in four at bats. Kyle Williamson and Tristan Wampole were also a part of the multi-hit club for the Huskies, recording two apiece.
Next up, the Huskies head to Oregon City on Friday for a 5:00pm first pitch with the reigning 6A State Champions. This matchup rounds out the preseason schedule before the Huskies begin league next Tuesday where they will host Molalla.