6 unanswered runs down Pats

6 unanswered runs down Pats

Marion falls to 0- 7

Sports Editor

Marion found itself tied with Bolton High School after four-and-a-half innings but the hosts scored the last six runs of the game for a 8-2 win last Friday afternoon.

Marion fell to 0-7 overall and 0-2 in the 7A/6A-East with the loss.

Peyton Moore got the start for Marion and worked four effective innings, allowing five hits and just a pair of earned runs. The senior got a no-decision for the Pats.

Senior Joel Sargent was tagged with the loss for Marion after going 1 and 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and six runs, only one of which was earned. He also walked four batters.

Bolton broke open the 2-2 tie by scoring on a wild pitch for a 3-2 lead after five innings, before scoring five more times in the bottom of the sixth. Bolton took advantage of three Marion errors in the sixth, as well as a pair of walks issue.

The hosts scored two runs in the bottom of the third for a 2-0 lead, but Marion got one back in the top of the fourth when sophomore catcher Peyton McElroy walked with one out. That walk would come to fruition when courtesy runner Hayden Beck scored on a Tony Rudd triple to right field cut the Bolton lead down to 2-1.

Marion got square when Heath Stephenson walked on five pitches, moved up on a wild pitch, stole third base and scored on a Hayden Hodge ground-out for a 2-2 tie.

The score rested there until the bottom of the fifth when Bolton picked up an unearned run for a 3-2 lead. That set the stage for the big Bolton inning that put the game out of reach.

Marion got hits from Stephenson (1-2, 1 run, 2 walks), Ben Vaughn (1-3), Alex O’ Brien (1-3) and Rudd (1-1, RBI, 2 walks). Beck would score a run and Hodge would drive in a run. The Pats play today against Ozark at the historic Lamar Porter Field in Little Rock at 12 p.m. Marion is back at home on Tuesday, March 29 when they play Class A baseball power Armorel at 4:30 p.m.

Marion hosts Cabot on Thursday, March 31 for a 7A/6A-East doubleheader which will begin at 4:30 p.m.

By Chuck Livingston