Staff writer
Four games, 28 innings, 7 runs — the Marion High School softball team had a collective hitting slump against Canton-Galva and Sedgwick that led to four losses, dropping their season record to 4-8.
The bulk of the scoring came April 10 at home against Canton-Galva, but it wasn’t enough to avoid 2-6 and 4-6 losses to the Lady Eagles.
Marion first baseman Montana Percell was the exception, going 4-for-7 across both games. But with the rest of the team struggling to get on base, Percell’s hits didn’t produce runs.
Annie Whitaker accounted for 3 Marion runs with one swing of the bat, her only hit in seven trips to the plate.
The team batting average of .176 against the Lady Eagles was a concern for Marion head coach Chad Adkins.
“We just need more consistency from our bats,” Adkins said. “We can start winning a lot of games when our bats click.”
Defensively, Marion’s .825 fielding average is proof for Adkins some of the hard work in practice is paying off.
“The girls are working really hard and improving daily. We have cut down the fielding errors a lot,” Adkins said.
Sedgwick
Marion traveled Friday to Sedgwick, where they had trouble solving Lady Cardinals pitchers, losing the first game 1-11, and the nightcap 0-9.
Andrea Nordquist collected two of Marion’s four hits, and Whitaker’s shot to right center in the sixth inning of the first game knocked home the only Marion score. Jaydee Schafers had the Lady Warriors’ other hit.
While Sedgwick batters roughed up Marion pitcher Megan Richmond for 18 runs, left fielder Balee Shiplet provided a bright spot with a stellar defensive play. Shiplet settled under a pop fly, made the catch, then threw a perfect strike to Schafers at the plate to cut down a Sedgwick runner.
Adkins said turning things around is a matter of attitude.
“We need to play with confidence,” Adkins said.
The Lady Warriors had home games against Bennington on Tuesday, and are on the road next Tuesday at Inman.