Two-out terrors

Two-out terrors Marion blanks Mountain Home

Sports Editor MARION — With runs at a premium, two big innings proved to be enough for Marion yesterday at home. Playing at Marion Sports Complex for the first time since notching a win against Paragould on April 7, the Lady Pats (13-5 overall, 6-3 7A/6A-East, 10 against 6A-East) opened the 6A-East portion of their schedule with a 6-0 win against Mountain Home.

The Lady Pats struck for three runs in the first and the third innings to account for all of the scoring on the day.

Junior Hope Phipps and senior Mabry Watson made that offense stand up.

Phipps got the start against the Lady Bombers and pitched three innings, allowed one hit, struck two out and walked nobody to notch the win. Watson entered in the fourth and allowed four hits and fanned nine Lady Bombers. She walked two hitters and recorded a save, her third of the year.

“I thought both of our pitchers threw it very well, and our defense was very good,” said veteran Marion head coach David Horton.

“We did have a talk about our approach at the plate. I didn’t feel like we had as many real good at-bats as we’d need to have. We need to be better about selecting pitches and what we swing at.”

Marion scored every run in the win with two outs on the board, and that started early on. After Mountain Home starter Hannah Cantrell retired Watson and senior outfielder Morgan Weaver in order, Phipps smashed a triple to left field and scored when cleanup batter, and former Mountain Home student, Raygan Shelton singled her home.

A Micah Tolleson triple chased in Shelton and when courtesy runner Camryn Martin scored on a wild pitch, Marion had claimed an early 3-0 lead.

That lead held until the fourth inning when the first two Marion batters were again retired in order before Blakeleigh Garrison reached on an error, Watson singled and Weaver also reached on a Mountain Home misplay.

That welcomed Phipps to the dish and the junior delivered a three-run double before stealing third but Cantrell got the following batter to end the threat. None of the runs in the fourth inning were earned.

“That’s what we’ve preaching, when we’re hitting, we need to keep pluggin’ and keep pluggin’,” explained Horton. “The more good at-bats we have, the more chances we get at something good happening.”

However, from there, Cantrell allowed just two hits to Marion. The righty pitched six innings, allowed seven hits, six runs – three of which were earned – and walked just a single batter. She was tagged with the loss.

Mountain Home’s best opportunity of the day came in the top of the seventh when Peyton Gunn singled, Grace Gilbert struck out, but reached on an error and Courtney Green coaxed a walk to load the bases with two outs, but Watson got the final out to clinch the win.

The teams will play again on Friday afternoon in Mountain Home. That game is currently scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.

By Chuck Livingston