Patriot softball sweeps doubleheader against Blue Devils

Marion rallies from early deficit in opener, romps in nightcap

Marion School District With his team trailing by four runs early in Tuesday’s varsity doubleheader against West Memphis, Marion coach Sean Gray went an unconventional route to jump start the offense.

He called for timely bunts.

Unconventional? Yes. But the strategy bore fruit. The Patriots battered the Blue Devils 16-4 in four innings in the first game before picking up a 26-1 threeinning conquest in the nightcap, highlighted by sophomore pitcher Anna Hitchman’s no-hitter.

“Adjusting to the pitching is always the big thing in this game,” said Gray.

“What we did an excellent job of was getting down some bunts because we really struggled to stay back on the ball. We got those bunts down, got some runners on, and it went from there.”

Marion improved to 14-7 overall and 6-2 in 5A East action with its 23rd consecutive victory over West Memphis. Marion is 29-3 against West Memphis in conference games, beginning with the 2007 season.

Marion was searching for its first hit in the bottom of the second on Tuesday with two runners on and nobody out when lead-off batter Kelsey Baker (3-3 in the first game with a run scored) stepped into the box. The junior dropped a textbook bunt in front of the plate, beat an errant throw to first, and took second as the ball got past the first baseman. Brianna Morquecho (two walks, an RBI, and a run scored) scored on the error, while courtesy runner Lauren Maness stopped at third.

With the bases full of Patriots, junior centerfielder McKenzie Shinabery (2-3 with three runs scored, two RBI, and a walk) drew a walk to plate Maness.

Marion got even on the next batter as Kelsey Eppes (2-3 with three runs scored and two RBI) belted a single to left field to bring Baker and Emerson Miller to the plate. Shinabery took home on a passed ball for a 5-4 Marion advantage.

Junior catcher Jacey Holder (1-2 with two RBI and a walk) capped the seven-run rally with a two-run single.

Hitchman pitched the final 3.1 innings, surrendering three hits and striking out a pair to earn the victory inside the circle.

After Hitchman worked a perfect third inning, the Marion offense revved up again when Baker singled leading off the home half of the third. That’s when Miller dropped a bunt and Baker took advantage of the third West Memphis error of the day to score and give Marion an 8-4 lead. Shinabery dropped a bunt of her own, and the swift centerfielder easily beat the throw to first as Miller scored to give the Pats a 9-4 advantage.

Junior Anna Murphy (1-2 with two walks, two RBI, and two runs scored) recorded a bases-loaded walk before Morquecho plated Eppes with a sacrifice fly for an 11-4 lead.

Two more Marion runs came across on a dropped third strike and the hosts led 13-4 entering the fourth.

Hitchman helped her own cause with a two-run double that plated Shinabery and Eppes, who led off the fourth with a double and single, respectively.

Murphy scored courtesy runner Chloe Miller with a hit that gave Marion a 16-4 victory in four innings under the mercy rule.

Hitchman fired three no-hit innings at West Memphis in the second game, striking out four batters, and surrendering one unearned run.

The sophomore also left her mark on the offense, finishing 4-4 at the plate with six RBI and a run scored. Marion pounded out 11 hits in three offensive half innings in the nightcap.

A six-run first-inning Marion rally started when Morquecho (1-3 in the second game with a team-high five RBI, three runs scored, and two walks) drew a base on balls ahead of an Emerson Miller (1-3 with three runs, two walks, and an RBI) base hit. Shinabery (1-1 with three runs and an

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Photo by Londa Hamrick PATS-DEVILS (cont.)

RBI) plated Morquecho with a double as Miller advanced to third.

Hitchman’s double brought Emerson Miller down and Shinabery came across on Murphy’s (2-2 with three runs, an RBI, and a walk) single. An Ella McConnell sac fly plated Chloe Miller for a 4-0 Marion lead.

Murphy scored when Morquecho walked and McConnell scored on a passed ball to give the Pats a 6-0 lead.

Shinabery was hit by a pitch leading off the second before Eppes reached on a bunt single when Hitchman brought Shinabery around on a single.

A Holder sac fly helped Marion’s lead swell to 8-0.

Holley Sheals walked before Claire Hall (1-2 with four RBI and two runs scored) knocked in Chloe Miller.

That’s when Morquecho delivered the big blow, lining a pitch into the leftfield

corner, which brought

home Murphy, Sheals, Hall, and the shortstop herself. Marion led 13-0 when the junior emphatically stepped onto the plate.

Marion led 17-0 as the game shifted into the bottom of the second.

Marion scored nine times in the top of the third to salt the game away, highlighted by a two-run single from Hitchman that delivered Shinabery and Eppes, and a two-run double by Hall that plated Gracie Griffin and Micah Cupples.

Marion’s state tournament destiny remains unclear.

The Patriots are currently second in the 5A East standings ahead of a crucial conference doubleheader Friday afternoon at Paragould (8-8 overall, 4-4 5A East). The Paragould doubleheader will be streamed live on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app.

The Pats host Batesville (8-8, 6-4) on Tuesday, April 26 before completing conference play on May 3 at defending conference champion and current league leader Greene County Tech (18-4-1, 9-1).

Hot Springs Lakeside will host the Class 5A state baseball and softball tournaments from May 12-14.