Moore leads Warriors past Hillsboro
Eric Clark
Sports Editor
Marion's Megan Moore pitched 14 innings and struck-out 21 batters Thursday to lead the Warrior softball team past the Hillsboro Trojans in two games, 3-1 and 4-1 in Hillsboro.
The Warrior senior faced 52 batters in the double-header stretch and allowed only 10 hits.
Marion head coach Charlotte Waner said Moore has a lot to do with her team's success.
"Megan helps us a lot and she's got great back up," Waner said. "She's very hard (to hit against) because she has a variety of different pitches and remembers batters from one batter to another. She's a very smart player."
Game 2: Marion 4, Hillsboro 1 — In the second game of the double-header event, Moore took the mound against hurler Laura Lindsay.
For the first four innings the pitchers and the respective defenses held their ground, not allowing a run to cross the plate.
But in the fifth inning, Marion's Leann Thomas almost knocked the leather off the ball sending it sailing over the left fielder's head for an in-the-park home run, giving the Warriors a 1-0 lead. But Marion wasn't done yet.
Nikki Moody kept the Warrior attack going with a single up the left side of the field. Mindy Mastin's single on the next at-bat moved Moody to second after her scorching hit ended up on the edge of right field.
With runners in scoring position on first and second, Moore stepped up and drilled a hit over Hillsboro's left fielder. Sprinting around the horn, Moore brought in Moody and Mastin, and finished the play off with an in-the-park home run as she crossed the plate.
The Warriors led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the six inning. Hillsboro added their only run of the day as Laci Frantz turned a single into a run after a fielder's choice.
However, Marion held off the mild Trojan rally and came away with a 4-1 victory.
"I was really nervous, of course you always are, your first game coming in," Waner said. "But we've worked very hard since the first part of March and I'm really pleased."
Mastin and Moody led the Marion offensive surge. Mastin went 4-for-4 with a double and one run, while Moody had a 3-for-4 performance and a run scored. Including the home run, Moore went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, while scoring one.
"Our bats were really big for us in the second game," Waner said.
In seven innings of work, Moore gunned down seven batters and allowed only six hits in the Marion win.
Game 1: Marion 3, Hillsboro 1 — The Warriors took care of the Trojans in the first game of the double header, jumping out early on the host team.
Marion's Heidi Zogelman scored the first run of the game, as Emmy Bowers sent a one-run shot out to mid-center on a stand-up double. The Warriors left Bowers stranded to end the first inning.
In the second inning, Krista Zogelman connected on a pitch and sent it to left field for a single. Three batters later, Moody hit a single that brought Zogelman home for Marion's second run of the game.
Marion wouldn't score again until the sixth inning, when Caitlyn O'Dell got on base after a single. The Warrior stole second and then reached third on a passed ball. O'Dell trotted past the plate on a fielder's choice for the final Marion run of the game.
"In the first game, I thought we came out strong and finished strong," Waner said. "I don't really know if there was a big turning point in the first game."
The Trojans got on the board late when Laci Frantz scored.
Leann Thomas went 3-for-3 on the afternoon for the Warriors, while Caitlin O'Dell went 2-for-3, including a run scored and a double.
Moore finished the game with 14 strikeouts in seven innings of work, while allowing just four hits.
The Warriors (2-0) travel to Wichita Friday to take on Cottonwood Valley League opponent Wichita Independent. The game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and will be played at Two Twins Park on 1700 North Ridge Road, Wichita.
