Oregon West Conference champion and No. 4-ranked North Marion completed a series sweep over Philomath Thursday with victories of 13-1 and 7-3.
The afternoon started with the completion of a game that had been suspended Wednesday in Philomath. The Huskies had started to pull away with three runs in the fourth to turn a 2-1 lead into a 5-1 lead before the game was interrupted. Once on its home field, North Marion scored eight runs over the final three innings to end up with the 13-1 win.
Gallery: PHS baseball vs. North Marion (May 10, 2023)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s home baseball game against North Marion on Wednesday.
After North Marion took a 2-0 lead in the first, the Warriors got back to within a run in the second on a two-out, one-run double by Ty May. The previous batter, Wylie Griffith, had reached on a single and came around to score.
Philomath’s bats went cold, however, with only one hit the rest of the way — that being a leadoff single by Grant Niemann in the third.
North Marion pitchers Blaine Smith and Isaac Peirce held the Warriors to just those three hits. For Philomath, David Griffith threw the four innings in Philomath and Logan Matthews went the final three innings at North Marion.
Wil VanVleck and Smith each went 2 for 4 to lead North Marion.
The regularly-scheduled game followed and the Huskies picked up where they left off with three runs in the first. North Marion eventually took a 6-0 lead before the Warriors broke through to get on the scoreboard in the sixth inning.
With two outs, Mason Stearns reached on an error and came around to score on a clutch double by Caleb Babcock.
North Marion countered with a run in the bottom half of the sixth and Philomath scored two more in the seventh. Silas Barton came off the bench and took one for the team to get on base to lead off the inning. David Griffith followed with a walk and both moved up a base on a wild pitch. Two batters later, May drove in both base runners with a single.
Stearns threw five innings for the Warriors, allowing eight hits and four earned runs with three walks and three strikeouts. Babcock threw the sixth and allowed two hits, one earned run, one walk and had one strikeout.
VanVleck threw a complete-game four-hitter for the Huskies (18-5 overall, 14-1 Oregon West).
Philomath (10-13, 5-9) will wrap up the regular season with a makeup game on Saturday afternoon at Terry Stephenson Field. The Warriors will face Stayton at 2 p.m. in a game that will include pregame senior recognition.
The Warriors will then await word on where they will go for a play-in game when the OSAA rankings freeze on Monday.
