by Ben Murphy
Sports Writer
Things got a little chilly for during the Marion softball team’s home opener against Manistee Catholic Central on Monday. The Lady Eagles stayed red hot in the early season however, dominating their way to convincing 12-0 and 22-4 West Michigan ‘D’ League victories.
Game one lasted five innings due to mercy, and Marion took quick control with 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Georgia Meyer dominated from the pitcher’s circle, as she didn’t allow a hit while striking out 13-of-16 batters faced. She only allowed one base runner on a walk.
As for the offense, Ella Wilson had three hits and two RBI, Harley Bear helped her own cause with two hits and two RBI while Jacelyn Moggo, Delaney Lloyd, Bonnie Kiger and Malley Raymond had one hit and one RBI apiece.
In game two, Bear got the win, as she struck out nine batters and walked two, in what was a three inning contest.
The offense saw Bear connect for a two-run home run, a double and a single, Meyer had a two-run homer and a single, Kiger also hit a two-run homer, Raymond had a triple, single and an RBI, Moggo added two hits and three RBI, Ella Wilson had two hits while Ellie Pierson, Mara Jolly and McKayla Cruson had one hit apiece.
On Thursday, April 21 Marion played at Pentwater in a key WMD contest, and was able to win the battle of Alma College-bound pitchers, taking both sides of the doubleheader, with scores of 4-3 and 8-3.
“I knew it was going to be a difficult night facing Pentwater’s pitcher Makaylin Kenney, who is going to pitch at Alma College next year, but so is our Georgia Meyer,” head coach Ryan Raymond said. “The two squared off every inning of the night, but we came out on top of both contests.”
In game one, Marion trailed 3-2 in the top of the sixth inning, but Bear was able to score on a passed ball to tie the game and Raymond drove in Cruson on a single, for what turned into the game-winning hit.
Meyer finished with six innings pitched, three runs, zero earned on three hits, 11 strikeouts and three walks.
“Game two was similar, but our entire batting line-up was chipping away a lot of foul balls and making Kenney labor more,” Raymond said. “We gained a lot of confidence by doing that.”
Meyer got her second win of the night, once again pitching all six innings and gave up three runs, one earned on three hits, 10 strikeouts and three walks.
Bear had a key two-run home and a single, Meyer had an inside-the-park home run, Ella Wilson and Raymond had two hits apiece, Kiger added a doble and with one hit each was Maddie Sutton, Delaney Lloyd and Cruson.
Marion (6-0 overall, 6-0 WMD) was at the Grand Traverse Academy on Thursday, heads to a tournament in Manton on Saturday and travels to Brethren on Monday.