Record girls are league champs
Marion County Record 12-and-under girls' softball team began tournament action as the top seed this past week in the Cottonwood Valley League tournament in Hillsboro.
First round play began with a rematch, pitting Hillsboro Ampride against Marion County Record.
Hillsboro came prepared to play and again handed the Record team a loss. Final score at the end of the first game was 4-15.
This loss moved the top seed Record team from the winner's bracket to the loser's bracket leaving them with an uphill battle.
Second round action began Tuesday evening with Peabody-Burns as the opponent. Another tough game brought the Record team close to defeat, but they came away the victors with a final score of 12-11.
With a win under their belts the Record girls had to face hometown rival Carlsons' Grocery in the final game of the evening. The game scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. didn't get underway until well after 10, giving the Carlson team only a short break after a loss to Hillsboro Ampride.
The struggling Record team seemed to find their game and began to play as well as they had all season. Kristen Steinborn began the game as pitcher with Emily Rogers behind the plate.
Steinborn walked the first Carlsons' player and the next four batters hit the ball but a great fielding effort by the Record team allowed Carlsons' one run. The Record girls scored five runs in the first inning, thanks to confident stealing ability.
Carlsons' were held scoreless in the second inning while the Record team chalked up three more runs.
The third inning began with some help from Steinborn as she walked the first two at bat. Finding her groove, she struck out the third batter and two hits were fielded, leaving the Carlsons' team with one run on the board.
Carlsons' pitching staff began to struggle in the bottom of the third, walking the first three batters. Striking out two of the next three at bat gave the Record team two points.
The fourth inning brought the Carlsons' team four runs and the Record team scored five.
Beginning the fifth and open inning with a score of 15-5, the Record team began to worry as the Carlsons' team battled back, scoring four runs before Sarah Freeby took the mound. A short bunt by Shelby Purcell fielded by Rogers delivered the first out for the Carlsons' team. Freeby struck out the next two players to hand the Record team a victory and a place Wednesday in the third round of action.
Wednesday's game began with Marion County Record girls facing a still-undefeated in tournament play Hillsboro Ampride team.
Hillsboro's confidence and enthusiasm led them to score one run in the first inning and hold the Record team scoreless.
Both teams chalked up five runs in the second inning, leaving Ampride ahead by one.
Ampride was held scoreless in the third inning while the Record girls added one run to the board, knotting the game at six.
The fourth inning brought two runs for Hillsboro and found the Record team scoreless again.
The Record team made short work of Ampride in the open fifth inning, holding them scoreless. The Record girls came to bat down by two runs, 6-8.
A line drive by Sarah Guetersloh to the shortstop delivered the Record team its first out.
With hopes and chances dwindling Steinborn came to bat and hit a single to get her on base. Josie Freeby was walked, bringing Emily Rogers to bat. Rogers hit a single, scoring Steinborn and Freeby to tie the game. Anna Laurin was walked, and Rogers stole home to win the game with a final score of 9-8.
Because this was Hillsboro's first loss the Record team had to play them again to determine the tournament champion.
The final game of the season began with Marion winning the toss and being last at bat.
Hillsboro scored one run in the first inning while Marion answered back with four runs.
Second inning action brought Hillsboro to the plate adding five runs and holding Marion to two.
Ampride was scoreless in the third inning while Marion scored five runs to give them the lead, 11-6.
Both teams added two runs to the board in the fourth inning, bringing the score to 13-8.
For the Record team, fifth innings had proven to be their friend and foe many times during the season. Hillsboro began the inning with a short fly to pitcher Sarah Freeby who handed them their first out.
The evening began to look grim as the next Hillsboro player was walked and the following three batters connected to score four runs and bring the score to 13-12.
The Marion girls kept their focus and a fly ball behind first base was caught by Frankie Clarke, delivering Hillsboro their second out. A hit by Aubrey Meier delivered Hillsboro their third and final out when Taylor Nickel was tagged at second base, effectively ending the game with Marion ahead by one and handing them the league title.
