Marion offense flexes muscle

Marion offense flexes muscle

Lady Pats last unbeaten team in 6A- East

Sports Editor It had been nearly three weeks since Marion scored double-digit runs in a game.

Until yesterday.

Facing Jonesboro on the road, the Lady Pats (15-5 overall, 8-3 7A/6A-East, 30 against 6A-East) posted a 15-7 win to stay perfect against the 6A-East after sweeping Mountain Home last week.

The 15 runs were the sixth-most runs the team has scored this season, with five of those coming in league play.

Perhaps more importantly, Mountain Home beat Searcy on a walk-off yesterday afternoon, leaving Marion all by its lonesome in first place in the 6A-East with three more 6A-East games to play. Whichever team finishes first in that league will go into the Class 6A state tournament with a first-round bye.

Marion senior Arkansas State signee Mabry Watson notched the win for the Lady Pats after working five innings, allowing five hits, four runs, two walks and striking three hitters out.

Junior Hope Phipps got the start for Marion and went two innings, gave up four hits and three runs.

Watson also had a big day at the plate. The Marion shortstop and pitcher went 3-for-5 at the plate with a pair of home runs and six RBI. It was the third straight season that Watson hit at least one home run against Jonesboro at its home ballpark.

Marion's offense had an explosive finish to their outing against Jonesboro, but that was a late development. The Lady Golden Hurricane led 3-0 until the third inning when Marion got the bats rattling.

Blakeleigh Garrison reached on a bunt single ahead of Warson's first dinger as Marion got within 3-2.

Warson's second big play scored Haley Cook and Garrison as Marion stole its first lead of the day at 5-3.

In the fifth, Phipps also reached on a bunt single and got to third on a throwing error. Once there, Raygan Shelton chased her home with a hit to left field. That lead swelled to 7-3 when Destiny King doubled to score Shelton.

Jonesboro got three back in the bottom of the fifth to trim the Marion lead to 7-6. Garrison's second hit, a triple, led the top of the sixth off and Watson plated her with a single.

Morgan Weaver would walk and move to third on a wild pitch, while Watson would score on the same error. Weaver came in when Micah Tolleson grounded out to third base.

Leading 10-7 in the top of the seventh, Marion went back to work when Weaver scored Garrison and Kristin Bolton with a single.

Shelton wrecked a double to left field to score Weaver and Phipps for a 14-7 lead and Shelton scored on Tolleson's double to center field.

Marion pounded out 18 hits against Jonesboro, highlighted by Phipps's 4for-4 day at the dish. She also scored twice and walked once.

Five different Lady Pats

Times Staff Photo

had multiple hits, and all but one Marion starter had at least one knock.

Garrison would score four times in Jonesboro, while also stealing three bases. Watson was tops with six RBI, while Shelton added three.

Marion will play Jonesboro on Thursday at home at 4:30 p.m.

By Chuck Livingston