Softball Closes Out Fall Season

Softball Closes Out Fall Season

The Marion Military Lady Tigers softball team closed out their fall schedule, scoring early and late in both games, but dropped a 6-4 decision to Faulkner Community College before losing late 9-5 to Jackson State.

"Overall, we played pretty well," head coach Kristi Basso stated.  "We hit the ball well in both games and had the lead late, but couldn't put either team away.  But they are both quality teams.  Our defense was good overall."

"We played a very tough fall schedule and were 4-3 against junior college and NAIA teams, although we lost all our games to Division I and II teams," Basso added. "However, we were a better team at the end of fall than when we started.  We still have a lot of work to do to be ready for our spring schedule."

MMI jumped to an early lead in the opener only to have Faulkner slowly work its way into the lead and stopped a Lady Tiger seventh inning rally to preserve the win.

The Lady Tigers jumped ahead quickly in the first as Emily Tarango tripled and scored on Ashley Soos squeeze bunt single. Whitney Bennett started the rally in the second with a single. After an error, the Lady Tigers scored on Annelise Borg's infield grounder and made it 3-0 on Athena Sayrie's RBI single.

Faulkner came back with single runs in the second and third, then plated two in each the fourth and sixth for a 6-3 lead.  The Lady Tigers, Tarango and Soos, singled to open the frame and Tarango scored on an error. Soos advanced all the way to third on the play but was stranded there.

Soos had three hits to lead a 10-hit attack. Sayrie and Tarango each added two hits. Lauren Camacho took the loss.

In the nightcap, MMI spotted JSU two runs in the first, battled back to score on in the second as Kallie Martin walked and raced home on Taylor Anderson's double off the centerfield fence.  The Lady Tigers yielded another run in the third before rallying to plate four runs and take a 5-3 lead in the fourth.  Emily Tarango walked to get things started and scored on Martin's double. After an Anderson single, Whitney Bennett scored Martin with sacrifice fly. Jessica Lingelback singled to load the bases and Rachel Gauspohl and Athena Sayrie added RBI hits for a 5-3 lead.

JSU bounced back to tie the game with a two-run fifth and then broke loose for five runs in the sixth to claim the 9-5 victory.

Anderson and Gauspohl each had two hits in the nightcap while starter Kallynn Allen took the loss.

Soos turned in several sparkling defense plays at second base during the afternoon.

The Lady Tigers begin their 2014 regular season campaign by hosting Bishop State Community College on Feb. 1st. The doubleheader will begin at 1pm.