Marshall starts post-season play Saturday

The Marshall Academy softball team will begin its quest for a fourth straight state championship this weekend.

The Lady Patriots enter the North 3A Regional Fast-Pitch Tournament as the number one seed from District 1-3A. The tourney will be played Saturday, Sept. 27, and Monday, Sept. 29, at Bear Pen Park in Cleveland.

Marshall opens against Oak Hill Academy on Saturday at 10 a.m. Other teams competing in the regional tournament are Leake Academy, North Delta School, Tri-County Academy, Lee Academy, Kirk Academy and Winona Christian School. The top two teams will advance to the Division I Tournament, and the third- and fourth-place teams will advance to the Division II Tournament.

The Lady Patriots played only one game last week and dominated West Memphis Christian School 10-0 to wrap up the district championship. A scheduled game against DeSoto School was cancelled due to rain.

In the win over the Lady Knights, MA ended the game early with five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Aurora Cervantes had a big night at the plate with three hits, three runs scored and a run-battedin. Gracie Rappa added two hits, while Charlie Johnson and Eliza Cavender each drove in two runs. Marshall had 11 hits.

Kendall Matthews pitched a one-hitter for the Lady Patriots. She struck out eight and walked one.

MA (13-8) visited Clarksdale on Monday of this week for its final district game of the season. They hosted Calhoun Academy Tuesday for Senior Night and visited Bayou Academy on Wednesday, Sept. 24, to close out the regular season.