Marion softball falls to Harrison in 5A state tourney

Goblins end Patriots’ season with 9-8 loss in opening round

By CHUCK LIVINGSTON

Marion School District

The Marion softball team allowed Harrison to score in only three innings in the opening round of last Thursday’s Class 5A State softball tournament opening round at Marion Sports Complex.

Unfortunately for the tournament hosts, two of those frames featured rallies of three and five runs.

Marion took three-run leads on two occasions, but the Goblins made the most of their chances in a 9-8 victory that sent Harrison to the quarterfinals and ended Marion’s season at 19-11 overall.

The Patriots managed seven hits against Harrison, including three from senior centerfielder and Jefferson College signee Mckenzie Shinabery (3-4 against Harrison with two RBI, a double, a run, and a walk), and two by senior catcher and Lyon College signee Jacey Holder. Senior infielder and Jefferson College signee Kelsey Baker drew a walk and scored twice with an RBI while senior infielder and Lyon College signee Brianna Morquecho walked twice and scored once. Junior infielder Ella McConnell singled and walked.

Harrison struck for three second-inning runs to open the scoring, but Marion marched nine batters to the dish in the home half of that frame, starting when Holder led off with a solid single to left field before giving way to courtesy runner Alexis Jones, who promptly stole second before McConnell rocketed a single to left field.

Marion loaded the bags when senior Claire Hall walked, and Shinabery cashed in a run with a base hit, and the Pats got within 3-2 when courtesy runner Chloe Miller scored on a passed ball. Baker tied the game at 3 when she hit a solid ground ball to second to score Maddie Cupples.

The Patriots took advantage of a crucial Harrison error that allowed Shinabery and Morquecho to score, and the Marion lead hit 6-3 when a Kelsey Eppes ground out allowed Baker to score.

Harrison got a run back in the top of the third on a home run, but Pats reinstated their three-run lead when a Shinabery single plated Supriya Chowdhury in the bottom of the third as Marion took a 7-4 advantage to the fourth.

That score held until the fifth, when Harrison struck for five runs, with the help of a pair of Marion errors.

Shinabery struck a double in the bottom of the fifth but was stranded, and Marion scored in the sixth when Baker walked, stole second, took third on an error, and scored on an errant throw to move Marion within 9-8.

Eppes singled following Baker’s mad dash around the bags, and junior Anna Hitchman hit a towering fly ball to right field that the Harrison outfielder caught in the shadow of the fence for the first out of the inning, and the last five Patriots went down in order to boost Harrison to the next round.

Senior celebration

The Harrison game marked the last contest for Marion softballers Shinabery, Morquecho, Baker, Hall, Holder, Anna Murphy, and Elaina Lawhon. Shinabery and Baker will continue their softball careers in the fall at Jefferson College, while Holder and Morquecho will play at Lyon College. Murphy had several opportunities to play college softball but will attend Missouri State as a student.

2024 returners

Marion will graduate six starters next week, but key pieces return across the diamond. Kelsey Eppes projects as a four-year starter in the outfield. Eppes has earned all-conference honors in the first two seasons of her varsity career with 2023 awards yet to be announced. Eppes produced a .402 batting average this spring with a .461 onbase percentage with 29 runs scored and 24 RBI. Eppes became Marion’s all-time doubles leader two weeks ago. Hitchman split her 2023 season between the circle and third base, but performed well in both, batting .279 with a .359 OBP with 27 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a pair of home runs. As a pitcher, she worked 73.2 innings and won seven games while sporting a 4.4 ERA and 1.6 WHIP.

McConnell started most games this spring for Marion, posting a .255 batting average, a .406 on-base percentage with 11 RBI and six extra-base hits. Chloe Miller was a fixture in left field this spring, scoring 18 runs. Jones was Marion’s go-to courtesy runner, finishing second on the club in stolen bases (26) and runs scored (34). Maddie Cupples earned many reps at second base and pitcher in 2023.

Rowton rolls

First-year head coach Drake Rowton led the 2023 Patriots to the second-most victories by a rookie skipper this spring with 19. Sean Gray’s 2017 Patriots finished 20-9, good for a conference runner-up finish, and an appearance in the state quarterfinals.

Tough slate

Of Marion’s 11 losses this spring, five came to teams that finished in the semifinals or better. Marion dropped non-conference decisions to Class 6A semifinalists Bentonville and Bryant, the latter of which plays this weekend for the 6A title. Class 5A finalists Greene County Tech and Benton combined to deal Marion three of its losses. Tech swept Marion in the final 5A East doubleheader of the season, while Benton rallied from a 3-1 seventh-inning deficit in April for a 4-3 victory. Class 2A semifinalist East Poinsett County topped Marion in February’s season opener.

Marion senior Kelsey Baker scores a run during action on Thursday night against Harrison.

Photo by Mady Williams