Staff writer
The Marion softball team built a 10-0 lead on Hoisington Friday at Hoisington in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Warriors used eight consecutive singles — from J.D. Schafers all the way through Raelene Allen in the lineup — and RBIs from Alex Cain, Shelby Percell, Sarah Guetersloh, Ashley Ratzlaff, Allen, and Emily Rogers to take the lead.
But, the Cardinals switched pitchers in the second inning, and the Warrior offense was stalled through two innings. Hoisington started chipping away at the Warrior lead, scoring multiple runs in the second and fourth innings.
The pressure mounted on the Warriors to hold off the Cardinals. With Marion committing numerous errors in the game. Hoisington eventually tied the score at 11 before taking the lead, 12-11, in the sixth inning.
“They push that pressure onto themselves,” coach Jill Hudson said. “We’ve been working all season on the mental aspects of the game.”
The team had already lost a lead in the bottom of the seventh inning in the previous game. The Warriors had a 3-1 lead, but allowed three unearned runs to score, losing the game 4-3. Hudson said that the team had played strong defensively before the final inning.
“That started breaking our mental focus,” Hudson said.
Losing had become a part of being on the Marion softball team the past few seasons. Hudson has spent much of her first season in the dugout trying to change a mindset where losing is expected.
“Breaking that mindset has been hard,” Hudson said. “Three-fourths of our season has been spent on the psychological aspects of the game.”
Hudson started with fundamentals in practice, partially to keep the team from over thinking all of their defensive plays. This past week the team worked on fielding footwork, taking the right angles on balls, and infield and outfield work.
“(We’ve been) going over breaking down drills, specifically on mechanics — where their arm should be,” Hudson said.
Allen talked about how Hudson has worked with the team with fielding position and getting the ball out of their gloves quicker.
On Friday, Hudson also made a crucial coaching decision. She replaced Cain, who was starting to get hit by the Cardinals, with Allen. Cain then moved to third and Annie Whittaker moved to second. The change slowed Hoisington’s momentum and the move solidified the Warrior defense.
However, Marion was down a run going into the seventh inning.
The Warriors responded with four runs in the top half of the final inning. Cain scored Schafers and Brooke Johnson on a double, Percell scored Cain on a double, and Percell scored on an error to give Marion the final lead, 15-12.
The Warriors were able to come back from losing the lead because of a change in attitude on the team. The attitude adjustment is part discipline and part team encouragement.
“She doesn’t put up with our (stuff),” starting shortstop Johnson said of Hudson.
Discipline has been a part of trying to instill responsibility in the team.
“I’ve encouraged the girls to set high expectations and with high expectations comes accountability,” Hudson said. “Focus on taking care of your own stuff.”
Instead of passing blame, the Warriors continued to shout encouragements to their teammates even as the lead evaporated Friday.
“The bench is just as important as the players on the field,” Rogers said. “They keep us going. They try their hardest to keep our heads up.”
Hudson held a team meeting this past week to focus on keeping a positive attitude. “Keeping our heads up,” has been the Warrior mantra for weeks.
Facing a second-consecutive come-from-behind defeat, the Warriors were putting Hudson’s efforts to the test.
“We have to be able to trust ourselves,” Johnson said.
The confidence of the Warriors was put to the test when Marion was back on defense in the bottom of the seventh.
Even though three Cardinal runners reached in the bottom of the inning, Allen induced a pop up to left field, a ground out to Whittaker, and a fly ball to center to seal a Marion victory.
“We’re actually pretty proud of not staying down,” Johnson said.
“It shows our determination, their focus, and that they are finally realizing what it takes to win,” Hudson said.
It also shows what Hudson is doing is working. Marion softball players said they believed Hudson’s efforts have been the biggest change in the team since last season.
The Warriors are now 5-9, three wins better than a year ago.