In many ways Monday's conference opener against the Falcons was a well rehearsed script for the Hornets. You had solid starting pitching from Dayton Horn and great closing by Andrew Krueger. You had the relentless Hornets offense attacking Falcons pitchers scoring runs in multiple innings. You had the signature insurance run in the seventh to allow for the inevitable couple of errors that seem to make these games close. Only there's one thing that you've never seen in a Hornets game - this year or any other - and that's a scoreboard showing a win over the Staley Falcons.

It has been thirteen years and fourteen games that Staley has beaten North Kansas City - soundly. Most of those games were won by run-rule. The combined score for the fourteen games previous was 145-19. But not Monday night. The Hornets simply would not go away. Not after a first inning grand slam by Troy Wansing - the Hornets would chip away in the top of the second with four straight singles to score two runs. Northtown would score four more in the third inning thanks to four more straight hits. When Dayton Horn began to tire in the fifth, Staley looked like they were sharpening their talons as they scored after back to back walks and an error. But Andrew Krueger entered in the sixth and scattered one walk, one hit and another error to only allow one run and close the door on the first Northtown victory over Staley ever - after fourteen tries.

There were heroes a plenty with the bats as all Hornets in the lineup got a hit with the exception of starting pitcher Dayton Horn who took one off the dome in the second inning and walked. Brett Kamler had two hits and scored two runs. Anian Nicolas had three hits and scored three runs. The line was moving like the Homecoming parade down Armour Boulevard. Wes McFarland had two RBI's after a huge single in the second inning. NKC even flashed enough leather when it counted like a double-play started by Eli Lewis finished up by Kamler on a ball that bounced off the mound. Lewis reached to his right, plucked the ball out of the air, stepped on second and threw a strike to first to end a Falcon rally in the fourth. He also took one off the chest in the fifth to limit Staley to one run off a fielder's choice. In the seventh, Northtown got another huge insurance run after leadoff double by Nicolas, who reached third on a wild pitch and was brought in by a Noah Devero single. The final out was caught by Kamler on a dribbler up the line that Kamler would then stomp on first to secure a historic victory.

Hornet pitching limited the scoring to innings one, five, and seven. After a tough first inning, Horn would settle down and allow only three hits the entire game. Krueger was masterful limiting Staley to one run on one hit picking up the save.

Even Hornet Pride showed out in the frigid April weather as the women's soccer team showed out continuing the mutual support these two teams have had for each other through the year. North Kansas City gets their thirteenth win of the season, tying them for the most wins by a Hornet team going back two decades. They improve to 2-1 in their conference standings, and, most importantly, put to rest the squads worst losing streak against a district rival. On their field. On their opening day. It makes this yet another example of how North Kansas City baseball continues to impress in this post-pandemic season.

NKC has a few days off before they come home to celebrate their seniors against St. Joe Central on Friday night at Macken Park. It's a pretty good bet that you're likely to see something special if you come on out.