Marion softball sweeps Little River

Shelby Felvus fires a pitch as second baseman Bailey Robson and right fielder Sheridyn Arterburn anticipate the pitch. Felvus earned two pitching wins at Little River, including a one-hitter shutout, as Marion swept the Redskins, 14-0, and 30-9. Janae Rempel / Free Press

The Marion softball team has won nine of its last 10 games, including a sweep of Little River and a split with Moundridge last week, to conclude the regular season with an overall record of 13-6.

Little River?Despite stormy skies and a few weather-related delays, Marion gained two run-rule wins Thursday.

Shelby Felvus pitched a one-hitter shutout in Marion?s 14-0 Game 1 victory in five innings. Of the 17 batters she faced, she walked one and struck out no one.

The Warriors gave her plenty of run support, scoring one run in the opening inning, then adding two more in the second to take a 3-0 lead without a hit.

Kayla Kroupa keyed an eight-run third inning by hitting a two-run double. That was the first of three Warrior hits in the game. Felvus hit a two-run single to highlight a three-run fourth inning, and Sheridyn Arterburn hit a fifth-inning single.

In all, 10 Warriors reached base on a walk. Eight were hit by a pitch.

Marion won Game 2 in six innings, 30-9, despite trailing, 8-4, after three innings. Little River took the lead with a seven-run third inning, aided by two hits and three errors.

But the Warriors established the lead for good by scoring nine runs in the top of the fourth off three hits and three errors.

The scoring continued into the fifth inning, as Marion plated four runs off a pair of hits, including an RBI single by Sam Davies and a single by Kroupa. By the end of the fifth inning, Marion led, 17-8.

With no one in the bullpen to come in and relieve the tiring Redskin starter?Little River lost a pitcher as the result of a prior injury in practice?Marion roughed her up for five hits and 13 runs in the sixth inning. She faced 19 Warriors in the inning alone, walking eight of them. Davies, Bailey Robson and Felvus each hit two-run singles in the inning.

?They have one pitcher left,? coach Jennifer Felvus said. ?It?s embarrassing to have somebody step off the base for you. I was debating in my head. I didn?t know what to do. All of a sudden, they couldn?t make a play. Earlier they were playing.?

Little River added its final run off a hit and two errors in the bottom half of the inning.

Felvus earned the pitching win in relief of starter Emily Hague. Felvus scattered four hits and eight runs (six earned) over four innings of work while walking one batter and striking out two.

Moundridge?Marion split two games Tuesday.

Marion used a seventh-inning rally to overcome a 6-0 deficit in Game 1 to force extra innings but lost in eight innings in the end, 7-6.

?After the game, I told them, ?We didn?t get the W but that was an amazing run. You made it a game, and it was a fun game at that point,?? coach Jennifer Felvus said. ?They never cease to amaze me.?

Moundridge built its lead by scoring twice in the first, twice in the third, once in the fourth and once in the seventh. Wildcat starter Emily Knight pitched six shutout innings, limiting Marion to just two hits during that time.

With one final opportunity, the Warriors rallied. Elizabeth Meyer coaxed a walk off Knight to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning, then Reann Hamm hit a single. Taylor May drove in Marion?s first two runs with a triple, and Shelby Felvus continued the hitting streak with an RBI triple. Kourtney Hansen walked, and so did Sam Davies. Bailey Robson hit a two-RBI single, and the Warriors scored the tying run on a ground out to force extra innings.

Moundridge scored a run off a hit and an error in the top of the eighth. In the bottom half of the inning, Marion suffered two quick outs. Felvus reached base but was tagged out at third to end the game.

?I wanted (Shelby) at third so that I could score on a potential passed ball,? Coach Felvus said. ?It was really a do-or-die point, so I brought her and hoped that their exchange wasn?t good, and their exchange was spot on.?

Felvus absorbed the pitching loss. Over eight innings, she scattered eight hits and seven runs (three earned). She walked seven batters and struck out one.

Marion responded with a convincing, 11-1, run-rule victory in Game 2.

Moundridge scored its only run in the top of the first inning, but Marion took control in the bottom half of the inning. Felvus keyed the nine-run frame by hitting a three-RBI triple. Reann Hamm also hit a triple, driving in two runs. In all, Marion tallied six hits in the frame.

Three scoreless innings followed before Marion scored the winning two runs in the bottom of the fifth off a hit and an error. The inning also included a hit-by-pitch and one walk.

Felvus was the winning pitcher. Over five innings, she gave up six hits and one run (earned). She walked one batter and struck out one.

Ell-Saline?Weather again interfered with Marion?s schedule Monday, as the Warriors traveled to Ell-Saline to make up an already-postponed doubleheader, but because of lightning, the teams were only able to play one game.

Game 1 was called after five innings, but Marion held a 5-2 lead at that point and claimed the win.

The Warriors scored their first run without a hit in the opening inning, but Ell-Saline used two hits and an error to take a 2-1 lead by the end of the first inning.

Marion took the lead for good in the second inning, scoring three runs off a pair of hits?including an RBI single by Shelby Felvus and a single by Kourtney Hansen?and an error. Three Warriors were walked in the inning.

The Warriors scored once more in the top of the third. Bailey Robson hit a two-out triple and Felvus drove in a run with a double, bringing it to the final 5-2 margin.

Two scoreless innings followed. The game was suspended in the middle of the sixth inning because of weather, and the final score went back to the totals after five innings, giving Marion the victory.

Felvus pitched four shutout innings and gave up six hits and two runs in five innings to earn the pitching win.

Game 2 was canceled and will not be rescheduled.

Coming?Marion will host a Class 3A regional tournament Monday and Tuesday. Additional teams in the field include Council Grove, Halstead, Hesston, Hillsboro, Sedgwick and Remington.

?I just hope we go in with a fire enough to play to our potential,? Coach Felvus said. ?If we play to our potential, then I think we?re in the championship game.?

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