Lady Knights win season opener

The Marion County Lady Knights varsity softball team went on the road to play John Hardin March 13. Marion County was able to score one run in the first inning off of a walk and a single, but gave up two runs to John Hardin in the bottom of the inning. In the second, the Lady Knights scored three runs with Colleen Rakes, Rebekah Taylor and Madison Avritt picking up RBI, while holding John Hardin to no runs. Marion County was held scoreless in the top of the third, and gave up three runs in the bottom half of the inning to give John Hardin a 5-4 lead. The Lady Knights took the lead back in the fourth with RBI from Taylor Wade and Emily Fenwick, and would gain another run in the fifth inning to have a 7-5 lead. However, in the bottom of the fifth, John Hardin fought back to tie the score at 7. Abby Miles would get a two RBI double in the sixth inning and the Lady Knights pushed three runs across to give them a 10-7 lead.  Marion County held John Hardin in the bottom of the sixth inning and didn't score themselves in the top of the seventh. The Lady Knights were able to hold off a late charge by John Hardin in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the game 10-9, picking up the first win of the season.
Senior Emily Fenwick led the way for the Lady Knights with three hits, while Taylor Wade and Abby Miles had two hits each. Ann Taylor Sandusky, Lauren Farmer, Rebekah Taylor, and Madison Avritt each contributed one hit in the contest.
Ashley Walls pitched the game for Marion County, picking up the win. Walls only walked two John Hardin batters.

Marion County  130 213 0 - 10   11
John Hardin      203 020 2 -  9   12

The Marion County Lady Knights junior varsity softball team also played John Hardin on Tuesday of last week, winning by a final score of 10-2 in three innings. Kylie Benningfield led the way for the Lady Knights with three hits, while Kendall Benningfield, Kenlee Stout, McKenzie Reynolds, Casey Brockman, Lexi Maupin, Kaitlyn Masterson, and Cameron Caldwell each contributed one hit in the win.

Marion County 235 - 10    10
John Hardin     200 - 0      4

Wednesday night, the Marion County Lady Knights freshman softball team played a doubleheader at Nelson County.  The team was able to win the first game by a score of 9-1.  Marion County had 11 hits in the game, with Abby Miles leading the way with four.  Kylie Benningfield and McKenzie Reynolds had two hits each, with Taylor Wade, Jordan Thomas, and Kenlee Stout each adding one hit.  One of Benningfield's hits was a two RBI home run.  Jordan Thomas was the winning pitcher.
In the second game, the Lady Knights were able to defeat Nelson County 16-3. Marion County collected 10 hits as a team, with Taylor Wade, Kylie Benningfield, Kenlee Stout, and McKenzie Reynolds each leading the way with two hits and Kendall Benningfield and C.J. Burton each adding one hit. Kenlee Stout and McKenzie Reynolds shared pitching duties in the game.
"This week was a good start to our program and what we hope to build," Head Coach Todd Spalding said. "We beat John Hardin 10-9 in the varsity game.  Although we played very poorly defensively, our kids showed a great deal of mental toughness by coming from behind on three separate occasions."
Spalding also commented on the play of some key players.
"Abby Miles and Emily Fenwick had key offensive performances," he said. "Ashley Walls pitched much better than the score indicated. I think our kids had some opening game jitters."
Spalding said he was most impressed with his younger players.
"We won the junior varsity game 10-2," he said. "On Wednesday we went to Nelson County and swept a freshman double-header 9-1 and 16-3. Those kids put on a softball clinic. Jordan Thomas pitched great in the opener. Taylor Wade, Abby Miles, Kylie Benningfield, Kenlee Stout and McKenzie Reynolds excelled at the plate."
Miles had six hits in two games and Benningfield had four hits including a home run that would have cleared a 225-foot fence, according to Spalding.
"That group is very talented and we have huge expectations about what they can accomplish here," Spalding said.