MHS softball team loses two to Hillsboro
By ERIC CLARK
Sports writer
The Marion High School girls' softball team lost both games of their double-header and season-opener with Hillsboro April 2 at home. The Warriors fell in the opening game 7-5 and 10-7 in the second game, despite amassing 12 runs over the course of two games. In both games, Marion jumped out to an early lead, but surrendered several runs in the final innings.
In game one, the Warriors and Trojans were held scoreless in the opening inning.
But in the bottom of the second inning, Kara Holt circled the bases after Leann Thomas recorded an RBI double. After two innings, Marion led 1-0.
In the third inning, each team snagged runs. After Hillsboro added a trio to the scoreboard in the top of the third, Marion remained resilient, tying the game at three after Caitlin O'Dell and Whitney Wear crossed home plate.
The game remained knotted at threes until the sixth inning of play when Hillsboro grabbed two runs in the top of the inning. The Trojans added two more runs and held off the Warriors, despite Marion scoring two runs in the final inning.
Sarah Williams led the offensive attack in the first game going two-for-three in the batters' square.
In game two, the Warriors jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, this time in the first inning. But Hillsboro was quick to respond, adding a run to knot the score up at one point a piece.
Marion hung tough and in the third inning, after a scoreless second inning by both clubs, Williams scored on an Emmy Bowers RBI giving Marion a 2-1 advantage. Things looked good for the Warriors until the Trojans jumped into the batter's box in the top of the fourth inning. Hillsboro ripped off five unanswered runs in the fourth to take a commanding lead.
The Warriors rallied. After holding Hillsboro scoreless in the fifth, Marion rattled off four runs in the bottom of the inning. Bowers, Holt, and Thomas each crossed the plate to give Marion an advantage.
But the Trojans added three more runs over the course of the next two innings, while the Warriors managed just one, and Hillsboro came away with a 10-7 victory.
Holt led the Marion offense going three-for-four and scoring two Warrior runs.
