AURORA – It didn’t take North Marion’s boys long to successfully transition from basketball to baseball last week.

The Huskies -- many of them needing only two days to get ready for the start of baseball season after coming off a three-day run in the 4A basketball tournament -- ripped off four consecutive wins in a six-day span.

North Marion, a semifinalist last year, showed why it is No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 4A coaches poll by beating Valley Catholic 7-1, Sweet Home 11-4, Astoria 13-3 and Henley 9-4.

“It’s been great. I knew I could just throw strikes and my defense had my back,” said senior pitcher Griffin Henry, who started on the mound in Saturday’s home win over Henley. “We weren’t afraid to put the nose into the ball on ground balls, and we’ve got great outfielders to track them down.”

Against Henley, Henry gave up a quick run in the top half of the first inning, but that was the lone run given up by the North Marion defense during the first six innings.

The Huskies’ offense picked up where it left off against Astoria on Friday, building a 9-1 lead and coasting to the win. Senior Nic Iliyn and junior Noah Wierstra each drove in two runs and Henry, senior Jesse Agnew, junior Ryan Olson and junior Hunter Wierstra added RBIs for North Marion.

“We’re there for each other, we’re playing for each other and not for ourselves and really playing for the team as a whole,” Agnew said. “We’re doing things as a team and we’re all doing better this year than we’re doing last year.”

Henry struck out five batters in five innings. His twin brother, Grant, returned to catcher for the first time this season.