Marshall Academy sweeps Kirk

Post-season competition is commonplace for Marshall Academy baseball, and the 2026 version of the Patriots is state playoff bound with seeding to be determined this week in a district showdown.

The Patriots outscored Kirk Academy 41-2 in a three-game District 1-3A series last week. Awaiting this week is North Delta School, which has one loss in district play and stands atop the standings. MA, with three district losses, is in second place. The post-season begins the week of April 27.

In game one at Kirk on Tuesday, April 7, Gage Todd led the way for the Patriots at the plate and on the mound as the visiting squad won 13-0. He drove in five runs, two on a homer, and three more on a pair of doubles. He also earned the pitching victory, striking out six, walking two and giving up only two hits in five innings of work.

Marshall racked up 13 hits. Also connecting for multiple hits were Cohen Lundine, Charlie Cross and Kyler Todd.

The Patriot defense played an error-free contest.

G. Todd stayed hot in game two at Grenada. He went fourfor- four in MA’s 16-2 rout of the Raiders. He had three singles and a double.

The Patriots pounded 18 hits in this one. Cash Redding, Colt Carpenter and Avery Wilbanks also had multiple hits. Kyler Todd and Jaxson Rikard each doubled.

The defense was again solid with no errors.

Reagan Allen threw five innings. He struck out five, walked two and gave up two hits and two runs. Landon Loper pitched one inning, giving up one hit, striking out one and walking none.

The Patriots got their second shutout of the series Thursday at home with a 12-0 win over Kirk. Carpenter was the leader on offense. He drove in four runs via two singles and a walk.

Marshall scored seven runs in the first and five in the third to end the game early. The home squad earned nine walks in the game and also swiped six bases.

Lundine was the winning pitcher. He struck out four, walked none and gave up three hits in three innings of shutout baseball.

Marshall finished off the week on the diamond with a 15-12 win versus Tupelo Christian Preparatory School on Friday at home. It avenged a loss to TCPS earlier in the season.

The Patriots scored four runs in each of the first three innings and led 12-4. Both Carpenter and G. Todd hit home runs in the bottom of the third.

TCPS cut into its deficit but MA held on for the win. Rikard and Carpenter each had two hits. G. Todd and Carpenter drove in three runs each.

Both teams used multiple pitchers. Lundine gave Marshall a solid inning out of the bullpen, head coach Dustin Skelton said, without giving up a run.

“Both teams were swinging it well,” he said. “We just did enough to stay ahead and close it out.”

The Patriots enter the series versus North Delta with a 17-15 overall record and 9-3 district mark. They will close the regular season by traveling to Collierville, Tenn., Friday and then going to Arlington, Tenn., the following Friday, April 24.