Comeback puts Marengo in state tournament

Marengo Academy rallied to sweep a doubleheader Tuesday to extend its season and qualify for the state tournament at Lagoon Park in Montgomery. The Longhorn softball squad fell 9-5 to North River Monday to put its back squarely against the wall for Tuesday’s series-deciding games.

North River 9, Marengo Academy 5

Riley Newton started the offensive fireworks in the first inning of game one with a single before she swiped a base to set up Macey Petrey’s RBI double to left-center. North River battled back to tie it 1-1 in the second inning. The Chargers pulled ahead in the fourth with a three-run inning to go up 4-1.

Trinity Wilkinson put her team right back in the game in the sixth with a double that set up Hannah Freeman’s RBI single to cut it to 4-2. The new life was short lived as North River hung five runs on the board to stretch the advantage to 9-2.

Undaunted, Marengo kept pressing with a triple by Mary Grace Sheffield. Newton was hit by a pitch and stole second to set up Petrey’s two-RBI hit to cut it to 9-5. The Longhorns could draw no closer despite also getting hits from Brittan Davis and Taylor Jordan in the contest.

Marengo Academy 25, North River 3

Marengo brought the thunder early and often in game two, a 25-3 victory. Newton singled in the first before Petrey launched a two-run shot. After the Chargers tied it 2-2, Mary Jordan Drake led off the second with a bunt single ahead of Sheffield’s single. Both runners scored on a series of errors to put the Longhorns up 4-2. Wilkinson added to the advantage in the third with a triple before scoring on an error to make it 5-2.

Jordan opened the fourth with a double before Sheffield’s double to move it to 6-2. Newton singled ahead of Petrey’s two-run double to stretch the lead to 8-2. Hannah Freeman opened the fifth with a single but the Longhorns were unable to score. North River scored one in th fifth to draw it closer at 8-3.

Marengo added three more runs in the sixth as Petrey was hit by a pitch before Wilkinson blasted a two-run homer. Davis tripled and then scored on Freeman’s single to make it 11-3 in favor of the Longhorns after six innings of play.

Newton opened the seventh with a double before another Petrey HBP. Wlkinson’s single pushed it to 12-3. Davis then singled to make it 13-3. Freeman singled to stretch it to 14-3 before Jessie Flowers hit a two-run single to make it 16-3. Jordan and Sheffield each roped RBI singles for the 18-3 advantage with nobody out in the inning. Newton, Petrey, Wilkinson, Flowers, Jordan and Drake each connected on RBI singles of their own to highlight a 14-run seventh inning. Marengo began leaving the bases early to account for three outs in the inning and get the game over with and give Mazzy Marlowe the win in the circle.

Marengo Academy 13, North River 8

With the series evened up, Marengo found itself in an early 5-0 hole after a series of defensive miscues. North River then added a run in the second to stretch the advantage to 6-0 and put the Longhorns’ season in dire straits.

Newton singled in the third and scored on Wilkinson’s RBI to cut it to 6-1. The Chargers got that run back in the third to move it to 7-1.

Marengo found some mojo in the fourth as Drive opened with a single. Sheffield then dropped down a bunt single before Newton’s single loaded the bases. Petrey drew a walk for one RBI to cut it to 7-2. Sheffield scored on Wilkinson’s RBI sacrifice to cut it to 7-3.

Marengo rallied again in the fifth as Flowers and Jordan opened the frame with singles. Sheffield dropped down a bunt single to load the bases before Newton drew a bases-loaded walk to cut it to 7-4. Petrey doubled in Drake and Sheffield to narrow the gap to 7-6. Wilkinson put her team on top with a single to score Petrey and Newton for the 8-7 lead.

Marengo stretched the advantage in the sixth as Freeman singled and Jordan was hit by a pitch to set up Sheffield’s three-run shot to left-center for the 11-7 lead. Wilkinson ignited a seventh-inning rally with a single ahead of Freeman’s RBI double. Flowers then singled to set up Jordan’s RBI fielder’s choice for the 13-7 lead.

The Chargers added one run in the seventh but Jordan slammed the door to preserve the win.