Megan is Moore than enough in Marion sweep

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN TOM STOPPEL
The Marion Warriors returned home with two big victories in Thursday’s season-opening doubleheader at the Hillsboro Sports Complex, but the hometown Trojans came away with a lot of positives, too.

Marion won the first game, 3-1, then took the second one, 4-1.

“For our first games of the season, I feel very positive about tonight,” Marion coach Charlotte Waner said. “We still have a few wrinkles to iron out, but I’m pleased.”

Hillsboro coach Carolyn Long headed home feeling her young Trojan squad has the makings for a competitive season.

“We were a little concerned going in,” Long said. “Marion had 13 returning letter winners and we’re still working on who to fill what positions. We had a lot of youth and inexperience. But I was really proud of the way they played.”

Game one was simply an overpowering performance by the Warrior’s all-state pitcher, Megan Moore. Coming off a year in which she compiled an amazing 0.29 earned-run average, Moore struck out 15 Hillsboro batters and allowed only three hits in the 3-1 win.

But Moore’s counterpart on the mound, Marissa Diener, more than held her own against a skilled and veteran team from Marion. The Trojan sophomore allowed three runs on just seven hits while striking out six.

Marion got on the board in the first inning when Heidi Zogelman worked Diener for a one-out walk. Two batters later, Zogelman came around to score on a double by Emmy Bowers.

In the top of the second, Krista Zogelman greeted Diener with a leadoff single. One out later, Leann Thomas reached base on an error, putting runners on the corners.

Diener got a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but a clutch two-out single by Nikki Moody brought home Zogelman with the second run of the game.

Moore, meanwhile, was dominating the Trojan batters, and didn’t allow a hit until Laci Frantz led off the fifth inning with a triple down the left-field line.

Laura Lindsay followed with an infield single and promptly stole second, placing Trojans on second and third with nobody out.

But Moore reached back and got Niki Streeter, Heather Stepanek and April Funk on consecutive strikeouts to squelch the rally.

Marion’s Caitlin O’Dell opened the sixth inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice on a ball hit by Thomas.

O’Dell scored on another fielder’s choice, making the score 3-0 after six innings.

Hillsboro broke into the scoring column in its final at-bat. Frantz collected her second hit of the game, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. She crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice on a ball hit by Lindsay.

Moore ended the game fittingly, striking out the last batter.

“Megan can hold her own on the mound,” Waner said. “She does help us a lot because it’s hard to hit off of her, but she does have good backup, too.

“I thought we came out strong and finished strong in the first game,” Waner added.

The second game shaped up as a pitching duel between the senior Moore and the freshman Lindsay.

Marion started the game with back-to-back singles by Moody and Mindy Mastin, but Lindsay worked her way out of the jam without allowing a run.

Hillsboro threatened in the bottom of the third when Frantz punched a single and Danielle Goossen followed with a double to put runners on second and third. But Moore escaped without damage.

The game remained scoreless until the fifth, when Marion finally broke through with some big hits.

Thomas led off with a shot over the head of left-fielder Frantz. As the ball rolled to the fence, Thomas rounded the bases to give Marion a 1-0 lead.

Moody and Mastin followed with consecutive singles, setting the table for Moore. This time the senior showed her prowess with the bat, clearing the bases with a home run, to give Marion a 4-0 lead.

Hillsboro scored in the sixth when Frantz collected her third hit of the game and eventually came around to score on an fielder’s choice off the bat of Lindsay.

Marion scored its four runs on nine hits, while Hillsboro had five hits. Moore struck out six on the way to her second win of the day.

“I didn’t know what to expect from Hillsboro,” Waner said. “They’re a young team and have a lot to look forward to.”

Even though the Trojans managed only seven hits and two runs on the day, Long said her squad did as well as could be expected against Moore.

“She’s probably one of the better pitchers in the state,” she said. “That was another concern, how we were going to respond to her. I don’t think we were quite as aggressive in the box as we could have been, but I think that will come with time.”

Aside from the losses, Long was satisfied with her team’s initial showing.

“I told them after the game, ‘You have absolutely nothing to hang your heads about,'” she said. “To me, a 3-1 loss and a 4-1 loss against Marion are close to wins for us- especially in a first game which had a lot of ‘firsts’ for people. I could look at each one of them and tell them something they did good.”

Coming-Hillsboro was scheduled to play host to Lyons Tuesday and are scheduled to do the same with Canton-Galva on Friday. Next Tuesday they travel to Haven. All games will begin at 4:30 p.m.

The Warriors, meanwhile, are scheduled to travel to Wichita Independent on Friday and then to Council Grove next Tuesday.

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