Friday’s game at Trigg postponed due to rain

By Justin McGill
Tribune-Courier Managing Editor
jmcgill@tribunecourier.com

DRAFFENVILLE – Marshall County looked strong against 1st Region competition last week, winning two of three games against local foes.

MCHS opened its season Thursday with a 13-3 win over Ballard Memorial (see story on page C4) before losing to Heath 6-3 on Saturday and topping Mayfield 10-2 in a rain-shortened affair Monday.

MCHS started slow against the Cardinals, allowing two firstnning runs. Pitcher Daniel Riley recovered to blank the Cardinals over the next three innings, keeping the Marshals in contention until the bats awoke.

In the bottom of the third, Austin York was on first base with two out and Tyler O’Daniel at the plate. O’Daniel popped up to the shortstop who failed to make the catch. Then, the flood gates to a seven-run Marshal rally were opened.

After a walk to Tyler Johnson loaded the bases, Cameron Kimball cleared them with a double. Brantley Barrett added an RBI-single, and Gerrick Sullivan belted a three-run home run to cap the scoring.

Barrett and Sullivan each knocked in another run in the fourth, as did Ben Kimball.

Blake Sullivan relieved Riley in the top of the fifth and recorded the first out of the frame before lightning halted the contest.

Marshall County 10,
Mayfield 2
Monday @ Draffenville

Mayfield 200 0 – 2 5 1
Marshall County 007 3 – 10 11 2

TEAM STATS
Pitching MCHS: Riley – 4 IP,
2 R, 5 H, 3 K, 1 BB
B. Sullivan – 1/3 IP
Hitting MCHS: C. Kimball –
1-3, double, 3 RBI
G. Sullivan – 2-3,
double, HR, 4 RBI, SB
Barrett – 3-3, 2 RBI
WEST PADUCAH – Against one of the top teams in the region, Marshall County had a strong start but ultimately fell 6-3 at Heath.

MCHS received a strong pitching performance from Cody Forsythe against a formidable Pirate offense, MCHS head coach Don Bock said. Forsythe shut Heath down through the first three innings but was roughed up for four scores in the fourth. Three of the four runs were unearned because of three MCHS errors in the inning.

“There were two double plays we should have made and had bad throws from second both times,” Bock said. “We were rushing throws and not realizing we had as much time as we had.”

Bock said the errors occurred while rain was falling; however, he said neither he nor his players blamed Mother Nature.

“That was the hardest it had rained all day, but the kids will say the ball didn’t slip,” Bock said. “Our defense has got to carry us, and it fell apart in that inning.”

At the plate, Bock said the Marshals had the ability to come back against Heath but failed to take charge.

“Their pitching didn’t stymie us,” Bock said. “We looked at too many called third strikes. We’ve got to be swinging the bat with two strikes. We had opportunities, but we didn’t follow up.”

MCHS had two chances to start a rally in the seventh inning. After putting the leadoff man on base, the Marshals grounded into a double play. The next two batters reached base, bringing the tying run to the plate, but the game ended there.

“We were battling to the end,” Bock said.

The Marshals were scheduled to host Carlisle County on Tuesday. Results were unavailable at press time. Thursday, MCHS will host Graves County at 5 p.m. Then, the Marshals are scheduled to compete in the Warren East Kickoff Classic this weekend before hosting Lone Oak at 5 p.m. Monday and Hickman County at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Marshals open season with 10-run first against Ballard

By Caitlin Wardlow
Tribune-Courier Reporter

DRAFFENVILLE – The Marshall County High School baseball team opened its season last Tuesday with a five-inning, 13-3 “mercy rule” victory over Ballard Memorial.

Kentucky High School Athletic Associaton rules state that if a team is ahead by 10 runs at the fifth inning then the game can be called on a Mercy Rule.

Seth Waldrop Bomber batters of the game and retired the side without incident.

Thirteen Marshals went up to bat in the bottom of the 40-minute-long first inning.

“It was unusual,” head coach Don Bock said. “I’m glad to see it happen and I hope it happens again, but I don’t expect it to ever happen again. Just one of those rare innings that kind of happened.”

Cameron Kimball’s grand slam was the highlight of a 10-run frame. Immediately following his at bat, Daniel Riley hit a homerun and the Marshals were up 7-0 with no outs.

“It was good to start with an early lead,” Bock said. “It kind of calmed the nerves a little bit.”

The Bombers went up to bat in the second inning and Waldrop delivered two strikeouts and a ground-out to first base, just as he did in the first inning.

“I thought it was a team effort,” Bock said. “I think Seth Waldrop did real well on the mound pitching-wise. The defense played really well as a whole.”

The Marshals were able to capitalize on a double play in the third inning.

“We’ve got guys with good hands and good arms, and they’ve been teammates for several years,” Bock said. “So we’re expecting to turn those double plays.”

Bock said that with only one error, the Marshals made a good effort Thursday night.

“It’s the first of a lot of ball games,” Bock said.


Marshall County 13,
Ballard Memorial 3
March 27 @ Draffenville

Ballard Mem. 003 00 – 3 6 2
Marshall County (10)30 0x – 13 18 1

TEAM STATS
Pitching MCHS: Waldrop –
5 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 5 K
Hitting MCHS: C. Kimball,
2-3, HR, 4 RBI
Riley, 2-3, HR, RBI
O’Daniel, 2-2 3 RBI