Photos by Starlit Tomlinson
The Marshall Academy softball team unveiled new uniform jerseys last week in memory of Janie Branch. The 3-year-old daughter of MA athletic director and head baseball coach Bruce Branch and his wife Abby died September 6 from injuries in an automobile accident. Pictured in the "Play For Janie Girl" shirts are (from left) Luci Tomlinson, Landry Loper and Morgan Bennett.
Natalie Shaw of Marshall slides safely into third base versus Lee.
MA crushes district foe
The Marshall Academy Lady Patriots kept steamrolling District 1-4A competition last week.
Christa Schultz and Meredith Anthony combined to drive in five runs as MA downed Lee Academy 11-0 Wednesday at home.
Schultz had two hits and three runs-batted-in, while Anthony had three hits and two RBIs.
Also getting two hits each in the win were Hallie Turner, Landry Loper and Natalie Shaw.
Carlie Vannucci added a single to round out the 12-hit attack.
Coach Carlton Gibson’s team jumped on top early, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. The Lady Pats then tacked on one in the third, four in the fourth and three in the fifth to end the contest early.
While the offense was exploding, Hallie Turner was doing stellar work from the circle. She threw a one-hitter — striking out 10 with no walks.
“We really played well in this game,” said Gibson, whose Marshall team improved to 6-0 in the district.
The Lady Patriots then traveled to Magnolia Heights Saturday and lost a pair of games to larger schools, one to the host team and the other to Parklane.
MA fell behind 2-0 to the Lady Chiefs, rallied to lead briefly in the third and then dropped a 6-4 decision.
The Lady Patriots had beaten 4A Magnolia Heights twice earlier in the season.
Marshall scored three in the top of third to go up 3-2, but the Lady Chiefs tied it in the bottom of that inning.
The Lady Chiefs pushed three runs across in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-3 lead. MA managed just one run in the top of the fifth.
The Lady Patriots outhit the Lady Chiefs 12 to five.
Top hitters in the loss were Loper, Schultz and Vannucci with three each, and Shaw, Kamdyn Taylor and Charlie Johnson with one each. Shaw, Taylor and Johnson each had an RBI.
Vannucci pitched for Marshall. She struck out seven, walked five and gave up five hits.
The Lady Patriots again found themselves trailing early to 6A Parklane Academy and fell 12-3.
The Lady Pioneers tallied five runs in the top of the first, two in the third and five in the fifth.
MA scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the second. Marshall had just four hits — one each from Loper, Shaw, Vannucci and Gracie Rappa. Knocking in one run each were Turner, Zoey Rippee and Rappa.
Turner threw from the circle. She struck out seven, walked six and gave up eight hits.
“Errors and walks really hurt us on Saturday,” Coach Gibson said. “I think the emotions of the week caught up with us.”
The Lady Patriots (14-4 overall) visited Washington School Monday. They will play in the Jackson Prep Tournament this Saturday. Next Monday, Sept. 20, they host Clinton Christian at 4 p.m. For a doubleheader on Senior Night. Next Wednesday, Sept. 22, they will host Kirk Academy in district action.