In their first trip to the KHSAA State Softball Tournament in nine years, the Lady Marshals battled through extra innings against Christian County in their tournament opener on Thursday in Owensboro. Tied 3-3 in the ninth inning, a single by Tyler Shemwell scored Emily Blane for the game-winning run for the Lady Colonels.
A first inning walk by Sarenna Tomassi, sacrifice by Presley Jezik and Addie Young hit by a pitch loaded the bases with a run scoring on a single by Riley Piercefield for an early 1-0 lead that held until the bottom of the fifth when Christian County scored three runs to take a 3-1 lead.
Marshall County tied it in the top of the sixth, scoring two runs on a wild pitch and single by Kaycee Kemp. Still 3-3 at the end of the seventh inning, the game went into extra innings. No runs in the eighth sent the game into the ninth inning where Christian County’s Emily Blane doubled and Lexie O’Daniel received an intentional walk which was followed by Shemwell’s single for the 4-3 win.
Christian County advanced to the semi-finals where they fell to Scott County 5-0 and were eliminated by East Carter 9-0.
The Lady Marshals played Bourbon County on Friday in the Consolation Bracket, winning 8-0 on 13 hits. An early 2-0 lead came on a single by Jezik and ground ball by Piercefield and they added a third run in the second inning on a solo home run by Charley Pursley.
Four runs in the fourth for the Lady Marshals came on a sacrifice fly by Jezik, error, Young single and Piercefield single to take a 7-0 lead. The final run came in the bottom of the sixth on a double by Cayson Conner for the shut-out win. Aubree Jo Kemp and Gabbi Lovett on the mound allowed three hits each.
The win over Bourbon County (28-12) moved them into the quarterfinal round against East Carter out of Grayson, Ky. No score through the first three innings, East Carter scored a run in the fourth inning and two in the fifth for a 3-0 win on just one hit – a double by Gracie Robinson in the fifth that scored two runs.
Gracey Murt had the only hit for the Lady Marshals against 2016 and 2017 Gatorade Softball Player of the Year and Alabama commit Montana Fouts who pitched seven innings and struck out 13.
East Carter came into the state tournament undefeated and suffered their first loss to Warren East in Friday’s quarter-finals then lost in the consolation bracket final to Butler 8-6. They finish the season with a 41-2 record.
Scott County defeated Warren East 2-1 and Warren East defeated Butler 9-5 (30-10) in the semi-final round which set up Scott County and Warren East in the championship game. Scott County (36-2) defeated Warren East (32-4) 10-0 to win the state title.
Marshall 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 5 0
Christian 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 4 9 0
HITTING
Marshall: Piercefield 2/3 (RBI), Conner 1/4, K Kemp 1/3 (RBI), Pea 1/3
Christian: Winkler 1/3, Blane 2/5 (2B, RBI), O’Daniel 1/3 (2B, RBI), Shemwell 2/5 (RBI), Jones 1/3 (RBI), Hendricks 2/4 (3B)
PITCHING
Marshall: Kemp 6.2 (6 hits, 4 runs), Lovett 1.2 (3 hits, 0 runs)
Christian: Hancock 9.0 (5 hits, 3 runs)
Bourbon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 4
Marshall 2 1 0 4 0 1 x 8 13 1
HITTING
Bourbon: Barrett 1/3, McCord 1/3, Hays 2/3, Nicolls 1/1, Hardy 1/2
Marshall: Tomassi 2/3, Jezik 1/3 (2 RBI), Murt 1/4, Young 2/3, Piercefield 1/2 (2 RBI), Elkins 1/1, Conner 1/3 (2B, RBI), K Kemp 1/4, Pursley 2/2 (HR, RBI), Pea 1/3
PITCHING
Bourbon: Fister 3/2 (11 hits, 7 runs), Barrett 2.1 (2 hits, 1 run)
Marshall: Kemp 4.0 (3 hits, 0 runs), Lovett 3.0 (3 hits, 0 runs)
Marshall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
E. Carter 0 0 0 1 2 0 x 3 1 2
HITTING
Marshall: Murt 1/3
E. Carter: Robinson 1/3 (2B, 2 RBI), Castle (RBI)
PITCHING
Marshall: Kemp 5.1 (0 hits, 3 runs), Lovett 0.2 (1 hit, 0 runs)
E. Carter: Fouts 7.0 (1 hit, 0 runs)