Marshall's season ends in final four
The Marshall Academy Patriots, staring misfortune in the face, fell one win short of playing for a Class 4A state baseball championship.
“We got punched in the mouth with adversity,” head coach Dustin Skelton said, “but these are great kids and great competitors. This group kept fighting. In the end, we didn't make the timely pitches, and North Delta did, and they are headed on.”
After a thrilling 8-7 win in game one Tuesday evening of last week at Batesville, starting shortstop Colt Carpenter was injured in an automobile accident. While their teammate was recovering in a Memphis, Tenn., hospital, the Patriots had to keep on keeping on in the North State finals. They lost the next two the following two nights, 11-5 at home and 32 back at North Delta School.
“Colt's accident put a dagger in us, brought our spirits down, but I told the guys to continue the fight – that they definitely have something to fight for now,” Skelton said. “The kids stayed constant. They kept competing. I couldn't be prouder of a group of guys.”
The Patriots finished the season with a 26-12 record against a tough schedule.
“I am thankful for the year we had,” said Skelton, who also saw starting first baseman Kyler Todd go out with a foot injury in game one of the postseason. “The odds didn't fall in our favor, but this group deserves all the accolades. These are high-character kids. They worked extremely hard.”
He loses five seniors – Collin Woods, Hayden Lundine, JJ Wright, Phillip Sharpe and Tucker Chumney.
“They're competitors in every sense of the word,” Skelton said. “They will be hard to replace.” At the same time, several young players will return in 2026 with good experience.
“So many guys showed improvement this season,” Skelton said. “I'm looking forward to seeing them grow even more. Others will have to step up next season. I'm already looking forward to 2026.”
The Patriots hit .296 as a team this season with an on-base plus slugging (OPS) percentage of .812. OPS combines a player's ability to get on base with their ability to hit for power. The team's slugging percentage was just under .400. MA had 66 doubles, eight home runs, 203 runs batted-in and 153 strikeouts.
The Marshall pitching staff amassed a 2.9 earned-run average (ERA) in 247 innings. Patriot pitchers racked up 273 strikeouts, and the opposition's batting average against them was .216.
Skelton said he told his returning MA players to use the one-run loss to North Delta in the North State title series as motivation.
“Let this motivate you to push the door open next year and get us to the state championship,” he said.