By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

AURORA, Ore.–  Over the Fourth of July weekend, the boys of North Marion baseball competed in an unique tournament with the OSU Mid-Summer Classic in which the Huskies went 4-1 in the tournament against some of the toughest competition from across Oregon, Washington, Utah and Colorado.

For the Huskie players, they knew that this experience, this opportunity to face tough competition will help them as they are in control of First place in the American Legion Zone 2 ‘A’ after sweeping the Santiam Senators Friday evening in Stayton.

“It’s amazing,” said Dylan Doubrava.  “It’s great to play against that kind of competition.  Play quick, sound baseball.  No errors, minimal errors.”

“It was a great experience, the team came together we played as one, minimal errors every game,” he continued to say.  “So we’ve been playing good sound baseball.”

In the second game versus the Senators, up-and-coming star pitcher Griffin Henry  struck out 11 as he said that the tournament helped lift the team as they look to a possible summer State playoff run here in the coming weeks.

“That tournament lifted us up and since that we’ve been really focused every game,” said Henry. “(We’ve) came out and compete as hard as we can and we got the win.

Henry also said that the tournament helped identify how the team can improve.

“Talk, communicate as a team,” he said.  “Always work hard on and off the field.”

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