Play began in the First Region Softball Tournament Monday at Sheppard’s Field in Paducah. The Lady Marshals played Ballard Memorial in the 2:00 pm game, winning 14-0 in five innings. They advance to Tuesday’s semi-finals against Paducah Tilghman (14-18), a 3-1 winner over Hickman County.
The first hit of the game came off the bat of Sarenna Tomassi and she was brought home on a double by Gracey Murt for a 1-0 lead after one inning. The Lady Marshals went up 3-0 after two innings, both runs scoring on a single by Layne Pea after Kinley Edwards walked and Mckenzie Elkins reached on a single.
The Lady Marshals plated seven runs in the bottom of the third inning. Cayson Conner and Tomassi led off with singles and the bases were loaded on a walk by Edwards. Two runs scored on a single by Riley Piercefield, Edwards drove in a run, Elkins brought three in with a triple and a sacrifice fly from Pea made it a 10-0 game.
After retiring the first nine batters up for Ballard Memorial, Gabbi Lovett surrendered her only two hits of the game in the top of the fourth inning when Madison Nichols and Abby Cooper led off with singles. The Lady Marshals ended the threat and the Lady Bombers at bat on a double play.
Four runs for the Lady Marshals in the bottom of the fourth inning began on a double by Piercefield. A two-out single from Charley Pursley set up a two-run double by Elkins. That was followed by two runs off a double by Pea and the final run scoring on a single by Jezik.
Lovett pitched the five-inning shutout, surrendering two hits and striking out two. Elkins was perfect at the plate with a single, double, triple, five RBI’s and scored three runs.
Ballard Memorial ends their season at 10-20. The Marshall County-Paducah Tilghman semi-final Tuesday is at 8:00 pm following the first semi-final game between McCracken County and Graves County. McCracken County advanced with a 6-0 win over Calloway County, Graves County moved on with a 2-0 win over Carlisle County.
Ballard 000 00x x 0 2 0
Marshall 127 4xx x 14150
HITTING
Ballard: Nichols 1/2, Cooper 1/2
Marshall: Jezik 2/2 (RBI), Conner 1/4, Tomassi 2/3, Murt 1/2 (2B, RBI), Piercefield 2/3 (2B, 2 RBIs), Edwards 1/1 (RBI), Pursley 1/1, Elkins 3/3 (2B, 3B, 5 RBIs), Pea 2/2 (2B, 4 RBIs)
PITCHING
Ballard: Cooper 2.0 (7 hits, 8 runs), McKinney 2.0 (8 hits, 6 runs)
Marshall: Lovett 5.0 (2 hits, 0 runs)
