Tuesday the Lady Marshals hosted McCracken County in their first home game of the 2024 season, testing themselves early against the defending First Region champions. The Lady Mustangs have won seven of the last 10 region titles and in 2015, went on to become the state champions.
McCracken County won 11-3 on 12 hits to keep their early season record perfect at 7-0. It was the second loss for the Lady Marshals who were riding a five-game winning streak.
The Lady Mustangs wasted no time putting runs on the board in their first trip to the plate. They plated seven in the first inning led by Raygan Rodgers who hit a three-run triple and Macy Butler with a double that scored two runs.
Madyson Morton led off with a double for the Lady Marshals then scored on a single by Merriel Jackson to avoid the first inning shutout.
McCracken County went up 8-1 in the top of the second, scoring on an error. Marshall County pitcher Allicen Harris struck out the next batter up followed by a ground ball that got them out of the inning leaving two base runners stranded.
The Lady Marshals got right to work in the bottom of the inning, putting two on base on singles by Chevelle Henson and Trinlee Anderson. Macy McLeod drove in Henson and a single by Marin Oakley brought Anderson across the plate to trim the Lady Mustangs lead to 8-3.
A single by Elli Shoulders set up the Lady Mustangs next run courtesy of a double off the bat of Karleigh Walker and they took a 9-3 lead in the top of the third.
Walker put the exclamation point on the Lady Mustangs 11-3 win with a two-run home run in the top of seventh.
The Lady Marshals continued to battle, leading off the bottom of the seventh on a single by Morton. Chloe Coursey took base on a one out single followed by a walk from Jackson that loaded them up. Sophomore pitcher Addley Leidecker finished things off for the Lady Mustangs with her first strike out of the game and ground ball for the final out.
Morton had two hits including the double and Anderson collected two of the Lady Marshals 10 hits. Walker had the hot bat for the Lady Mustangs, going 4-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBIs.
McCracken 7 1 1 0 0 0 2 | 11 12 1
Marshall 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 | 3 10 5
Marshall (5-2): Morton 2/4 (2B), Oakley 1/4 (RBI), Coursey 1/4, Jackson 1/4, Henson 1/4, Darnall 1/3, Anderson 2/3, McLeod 1/3 (RBI)
McCracken (7-0): Shoulders 1/5, Cox 2/4, Walker 4/5 (2B, HR, 3 RBI), Leidecker 1/3, McDowell (RBI), Rodgers 1/5 (3B, 3 RBI), O’Brien 2/3 (RBI), Butler 1/4 (2B, 2 RBI)
Marshall: Harris 3.0 (9 hits, 9 runs), Darnall 4.0 (3 hits, 2 runs)
McCracken: Leidecker 7.0 (10 hits, 3 runs)
