Marion takes care of Swathers
Sports reporter
The old adage, "It's hard to beat someone three times in one season," was proven false Monday when Marion High School softball team defeated Hesston for the third time in a week to advance to the second round of the 3A SE of Saline regional.
The 9-7 victory was the fifth of the season for Marion, and the most important, propelling it to a semi-final match-up Thursday against Hillsboro. The Trojans swept MHS during the regular season, 11-7 and 4-2.
It didn't look good for Marion in the first when the Swathers jumped ahead 3-0, and were jumping up and down in the dugout as if they had already won the game.
Marion knew that wasn't the case when Morgan Cady and Erica Geis started off with back-to-back singles. Two RBI-groundouts cut the lead to one, and it was apparent it was going to be a close game.
After the two runs, senior pitcher Sonja Steinborn came out firing the next inning, striking out the first two batters before allowing a triple. A flyout ended the threat, and the Warriors headed to the plate looking to take the lead.
After tying the game at three on an error, Marion took a one-run lead after Hesston committed another error. Cady remained perfect at the plate with an RBI-single, and three batters later outfielder Jandee Sharp one-upped her senior teammate with a two-run double, increasing the lead to 7-3.
The Swathers added a run in the third inning, and the score remained 7-4 until Hesston pushed closer with another run in the bottom of the fifth.
The Marion offense responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs on an RBI-single and an error.
Steinborn did her part in the sixth by striking out two during a 1-2-3 inning. Marion did the same in the bottom of the sixth, and Hesston was down to its last at bat.
The Swathers didn't give up, scoring a run on another Warrior error. If the play had been made the game would have been over. Instead Hesston added an RBI-triple to make the Warrior fans nervous.
Steinborn calmed their nerves by inducing a popup to third baseman Kristen Waner.
Once the ball hit leather and the game was over, head coach Sandy Black had a first-round regional victory under her belt in her first year as coach.
