Marion rally falls just shy
Marion rally falls just shy
Lady Pats face stiff test to make states
Sports Editor The last 6A-East team to defeat Marion at home was Jonesboro, over two years ago.
The Lady Golden Hurricane were able to repeat the feat yesterday afternoon.
Jonesboro bolted out to a sizable 10-1 lead in the sixth inning, before a late Marion rally ended with the Lady Pats losing 10-7 at Marion Sports Complex. A win would have clinched a spot in the Class 6A state tournament for Marion, but now the Lady Pats face a home-andhome series with Searcy on Tuesday and Friday that will decide Marion's postseason fate.
Currently, Marion is still in first place in the 6AEast with a 3-1 record, while Jonesboro is just behind at 2-2. Jonesboro will play Mountain Home next week while Marion plays Searcy. Searcy and Mountain Home are 1-2 in the 6A-East with a game scheduled this afternoon.
Marion had won five consecutive games against Jonesboro dating back to that Thursday, April 15 loss to the Lady Golden Hurricane at home. That mark included a league win on Tuesday afternoon, as well as a non-conference victory in March.
The visitors started hitting early yesterday. Jonesboro scored four times in the opening inning, and led 40 until the bottom of the fifth when Marion dented the scoreboard.
Hope Phipps (3-5, 2 runs, RBI) reached on an error and scored on a Destiny King (1-4, RBI) single to get within 4-1 after five innings.
However, Jonesboro was quick to respond, tallying six runs in the sixth inning to claim that 10-1 advantage.
Morgan Weaver (2-5, run, RBI) chased in Blakeleigh Garrison with a single and a Phipps double scored Mabry Watson (2-2, 3 runs, 3 walks) to get Marion within seven at 103.
A Raygan Shelton (1-5, 2 RBI) triple played Weaver and Phipps to get Marion
within 10-5.
Shelton would score when Haley Cook (2-4, RBI) smashed a triple of her own, and it was 10-6.
Watson would single in the bottom of the seventh and steal home to move within 10-7, and Phipps would strike a double, but she would be stranded to clinch the win for Jonesboro.
Marion is now 15-6 overall, 8-4 in the 7A/6A-East and 3-1 against the 6A-East. The Lady Pats host Searcy on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Before returning that trip on Friday at the same time.
By Chuck Livingston
