Lady Patriots knock off defending state champion

The second week of the season was a busy one for the Marshall Academy softball team.

There was a split with Leake Academy, a rout of District 1-4A foe North Delta and three games in the Tri-County Tournament, including a win over the three-time defending state champ, Clinton Christian.

The Class 4A Lady Patriots opened the week by rallying from a 10-2 deficit on the road to beat 5A Leake 11-10.

MA went up 2-0 in the top of the first in Madden. The Lady Rebels bounced back and led 10-2 at the end of the fifth.

The Lady Pats didn’t quit. They scored eight in the top of the sixth off nine hits. Meredith Anthony had two hits in the big inning, a double and single. Christa Schultz and Natalie Shaw each added a double. Getting singles were Carlie Vannucci, Zoey Rippee, Gracie Rappa, Hallie Turner and Landry Loper.

In the top of the eighth, Turner singled and got what proved to be the game-winning RBI. Then she recorded three straight outs from the pitcher’s circle in the bottom of the inning.

MA had 13 hits in the win. Turner and Rappa led the way with three each.

Vannucci started in the circle and threw three innings. She struck out two, walked none and gave up six hits.

Turner followed. In five innings, she struck out seven, walked none and gave up nine hits.

Each team committed four errors.

The Lady Patriots visited Batesville Tuesday of last week to start district play and eased past North Delta 12-0.

They scored four in the first, three in the second and five in the fifth.

Anthony had two of MA’s six hits. She also drove in three runs.

Vannucci earned the pitching win in the five-inning game. She struck out seven, issued no walks and gave up three hits.

The Lady Green Wave committed seven errors.

Leake made the three-hour trip to Holly Springs Thursday. This one, different from the one a few days earlier, was a pitcher’s duel with the Lady Rebels winning 2-1.

Leake scored its two runs in the top of the sixth. MA got its one in the bottom of the sixth.

Rippee had two of the Lady Pats’ six hits. Shaw had the team’s only RBI, with it coming on a double.

Turner turned in a strong performance from the circle in the loss. She struck out 15, walked none and gave up five hits in seven innings.

Marshall opened play in the Tri-County Tournament Saturday with a 6-2 loss to Class 5A Brookhaven Academy.

MA led 2-0 after one full inning and then gave up six runs to the Lady Cougars in the top of the third.

This, too, was a pitcher’s duel ­ with Turner giving up just two hits in the loss, while the Lady Patriots mustered only three hits.

Turner struck out nine and walked two.

“Hallie had to pitch in the pouring rain (in the third) and could not hold on to the ball,” coach Carlton Gibson said. “When that half ended, they called the game.”

MA committed two errors and Brookhaven three.

Schultz had two hits and an RBI for Marshall.

The Lady Patriots then bounced back strongly with a 4-2 win over Clinton Christian, the team MA lost to in last year’s state championship series.

“It was sweet to get a win over the defending state champs (the last three years),” Gibson said.

MA set the tone early in this one, scoring one in the first, one in the second and two in the third to take a 4-0 lead.

Leading an eight-hit attack from the batter’s box were Turner, Schultz and Rippee, all with two hits each. One of Turner’s hits was a triple. Shaw and Emma Michel each drove in a run.

Turner turned in a solid showing from the pitcher’s circle. She fanned nine, walked none and gave up four hits.

Marshall, with its B-teamers getting playing time on the diamond, dropped its last game of the tourney, 14-7 to Porter’s Chapel Academy.

The varsity Lady Patriots (5-2) hosted Rossville Christian Academy (Tenn.) Tuesday of this week in district action. They will play in the Bayou Academy Tournament this Saturday at Cleveland. Next Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 23-24, they visit Lee Academy (Clarksdale) and Kirk Academy (Grenada) in district competition.