Young Lady Marshals end season at 26-7

Lady Marshals
close superb
season
with valuable
tournament play
experience

Staff Report

OWENSBORO–The Lady Marshals concluded a brilliant season Friday after a 4-2 loss to Franklin County in their third appearance of the 2009 Kentucky State Fast Pitch Softball Tournament.

Marshall County lost game one, the school’s first ever state tournament appearance, to North Hardin 5-1 and then squared off against Montgomery County in the loser’s bracket.

A rally for game two kept MCHS alive when they defeated Montgomery County 3-0.

Franklin County dashed Lady Orange’s hopes, however, in game three, with the 4-2 win.

The 2009 Region One Champion Lady Marshals advanced to the first state tournament appearance in the program’s history with just two seniors.

In fact, the team has just two juniors on the roster as well.

This is a team of six eighth graders, two ninth graders and four tenth graders, who by stepping up and making big plays, got to compete at an absurdly young age, against the best in the state.

Can you say next season’s powerhouse?

Imagine what head coach Jennifer Burnham, and sidekick, assistant coach Patricia Greer, will do with next year’s young, experienced talent, after this season’s attempted march to the state title.

Mallory Young and Buzz Ray will be the most ferocious freshman in the state.

They will be even better than they were this year and since they are both only eighth graders, it should be scaring their opponents already.

Imagine the hits they’ll get.

Pitcher Stephanie Helton, a sophomore, and junior Jessie Phelps will be back on the mound next year as well, with more valuable wisdom and experience with which to lead the team.

For Marshall County, it wasn’t a bad run for a team many never put into the postseason equation.

“I think a lot of people counted them out, a lot of people didn’t think they would have the season they did,” Marshals coach Jennifer Burnham said. “They earned the right to be here. They came up here and competed.”

The Marshals left 17 runners on base and spaced five errors over 21 innings. In their two losses, the Marshals managed eight hits.

Senior Careece Martin, one of two seniors on the team, led the Marshals with four hits for the tournament.

Fellow senior Jordan Gilland’s triple in the fourth inning against Montgomery County brought in the Marshals’ first run, and Gilland was nearly flawless at third base.

“In the clutch, those two kids came up,” Burnham said about her seniors.

Burnham remained positive despite the lapses on Friday.
“We had our chances,” Burnham said. “We beat ourselves a lot.”

Marshall pitcher Jessi Phelps gave up nine hits in the loss that sent the Marshals to the loser’s bracket.

Said Burnham, “making it to the state tournament for the first time in fast pitch softball is something the Marshals won’t forget anytime soon.”