THS splits decisions with Marshall

TEXARKANA, Texas — Marshall rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Texas High, 4-3 in eight innings, during a District 15-5A baseball game Tuesday at Tiger Field.

The Lady Tigers withstood a late charge by Marshall’s softball team for a 6-4 win.

BASEBALL

Marshall 4, Texas High 3

With the bases loaded and one out, the Tigers hit into a 6-4-3 double play to thwart the extra-inning opportunity and end the game.

Garrett Cotten and Luke Smith each pitched a complete game.

Cotten picked up the win, throwing eight innings, allowing nine hits, striking out 12 and hitting one.

Smith absorbed the loss, lasting eight innings, giving up 12 hits, fanning seven and issuing no free passes. Two of the four runs were unearned.

Andrew Phillips, the ninth batter in the lineup for Marshall, ripped a two-out double in the eighth inning. He advanced on a wild pitch, and Hayden Kelehan belted a stand-up double to deep center to stake the Mavs to a 4-3 lead.

Jackson Halter ripped a one-out single past the second baseman in the bottom of the eighth for Texas High, and Luke Smith was hit by a pitch. Zane Dodson singled past the shortstop to load the bases before the twin-killing ended the game.

Trailing through 2 1/2 innings, the Tigers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Caden Miller singled with two outs, and he scored on Rian Cellers’ hit to left-center.

Halter led off the fourth with a hit up the middle for Texas High. He was bunted over, and scored on Nathan Steele’s two-out single to right. Zane Dodson also had a hit during the rally to take the lead for THS.

Miller singled to start the fifth, and Cellers’ double to right made it 3-1 Tigers.

Kelehan singled past second base to start the game, and he scored on Jacob Oden’s two-out hit to give Marshall a 1-0 lead in the first.

The Mavericks tied the game in the sixth, taking advantage of a pair of THS errors. Dylan Thurman’s two-out hit started the rally, a dropped third strike put two on, and a fielding error scored Thurman.

Kelehan beat the throw for an infield single to bring home the tying run.

SOFTBALL

Texas High 6, Marshall 4

Starting pitcher Liz Smith and reliever Olivia Huckabee were able to keep Marshall at bay, and Lauren Allred delivered a big swing for an inside-the-park home run late to help the Lady Tigers overcome the late-charging Lady Mavericks.

The Tigers scored in the third on three infield hits and two errant pitches. Valeria Perez bunted for a leadoff hit, a wild pitch moved her to second and passed ball to third. Ashanti Northcross beat out a ground ball to shortstop for a hit, driving in Perez.

Molly Fisher also singled, but both runners were stranded in scoring position to end the inning.

Caitlyn Ellenburg lined a single to center to start the game, but attempting to stretch the hit into a double, she was thrown out at second by Perez. Emily Ellenburg also had a two-out hit but was stranded at first.

Marshall left one on in each of the first four frames, but Smith and co. retired the Mavs’ side in order in the fifth.

Allred led off the bottom of the fifth with a hit. She stole second and scored on a throwing error on Emma Prince’s fielder’s choice. Johnson smashed a two-out, stand-up double to drive in Prince for a 3-0 lead.

After a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth, Emily Ellenburg’s single to right was misplayed, sending Maggie Truelove home for Marshall. After a walk and stolen base, a groundout to second plated a second run. With the potential tying run at third, Huckabee got a strikeout and groundout to end the inning.

Kailyn Williams bunted for a hit to start the Tigers’ sixth, a fielder’s choice put two on, and Allred sent a 2-0 offering into the right-field corner for a 3-run inside-the-park home run.

The Mavs scored twice more in the seventh and had two in scoring position when Huckabee struck out the final batter to end the game.