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Lady Pats beat Tunica, Marvell  | Photos by Keith Covington
Bunt
Marshall’s Darcie Gibson bunts the ball versus Tunica Academy in softball action last week. |
What a difference a week makes. The
Marshall Academy softball team traveled to Washington School August 9
to play the Class AAA powerhouse for the second time in seven days.
This time around the Lady Patriots lost a hard-fought, 7-4 battle
compared to a 20-0 loss in the season opener. In
the top of the first, MA started off with hits from Kat Moore, Chelsey
Gilliam, Elizabeth Skelton and Mallary Covington to take a 2-0 lead. Covington, from the mound, shut down Washington in the bottom half of the first. Marshall added two more in the second with hits once again from Moore and Gilliam. Washington scored one in the bottom of the second. In the top of the third, MA’s Darcie Gibson got a one-out hit but was left stranded. Washington added another run in the bottom of the third.  | Safe
Chelsey Gilliam of MA beats a throw to first. |
In the top of the fourth, Gilliam and Skelton each got hits but were left on the bags. Covington shut down the home team in the bottom of the fourth. The Lady Patriots led 4-2 entering the final inning. MA
got no runs in the top of the fifth. In the bottom, two Marshall errors
followed by two Washington hits tied the game. Then with two runners on
base, a Washington hitter nailed a home run to provide the winning
margin. “We were really excited to play them that
close after they had dominated us the week before,” said Susan Rodgers,
head coach of the Lady Pats. The Marshall girls then traveled to Tunica August 10 and left with a 9-1 victory Covington
“pitched great,” Rodgers said. She gave up no hits, walked two and
struck out two. Skelton threw in relief – giving up one hit and two
walks and striking out two. Getting hits in the
MA win were Moore, Maura Autry, Gilliam, Skelton, Covington, Gibson,
Hannah Pasco, Caitlyn Brooks and Blake Martin. The Lady Patriots ended the week’s competition Thursday with a 9-0 win over Marvell. Covington pitched a complete game – giving up five hits, striking out six and walking none. Moore led the offense. She was three for three with a home run. “We have continued to improve,” Coach Rodgers said, “and I am pleased with how we are coming together as a team. “We start district play this week and I hope we can continue the improvement.” The Class AA Lady Pats (3-4) hosted Class A Tunica Monday and then played district rival Kirk Tuesday at home. They host district foe North Delta Thursday at 4 p.m. and then play in the Starkville College Exposure Tournament Saturday. Next
week district play continues. MA hosts West Memphis Monday, Aug. 23, at
4 p.m. and then visits Kirk Tuesday, Aug. 24, at 5 p.m. |
