No matter who the opponent has been, there hasn’t been a contest that West Marion hasn’t come out on top in. The Lady Trojans asserted their early season dominance last week with a 12-2 win over Oak Grove March 6 and a 17-0 drubbing of Perry Central Friday.
Despite giving up only two runs in the two games, the Lady Trojans’ offense was what stood out the most. The lineup delivered 33 hits across both contests and all starters reached base safely multiple times.
“We have just been aggressively smart at the plate,” West Marion head coach Cory Odom said. “From (batters) 1-9, our girls have been really aggressive early in the count, which has been something that we’ve talked a lot about. Putting the ball in play and not having a lot of strikeouts has been a big thing. Timely hits with runners in scoring position and hitting the ball hard is what it’s been all about.”
One standout in particular, though there are many to choose from at West Marion (11-0, 1-0), has been right fielder Aliyah Graham. The junior leads the Lady Trojans with three home runs and 19 RBI through the season’s first 11 games, and she hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
“She’s one of those kids that every coach would want. Extremely, extremely coachable, and she’s just a great person that works hard. We’ve always known she’s had power, but her biggest thing was pitch selection and not really having that breakout moment,” Odom explained. “Last year we gave her a few opportunities, but it just wasn’t quite there. We had a good talk with her at the end of the season and told her she was going to have a shot in the middle of our lineup. And man, her coming off of a hot start this year is huge for us because with us losing Paris (Thompson) a couple years ago, we needed that power in the middle of our lineup.”
In West Marion’s home tilt with Oak Grove March 6, a second-inning two-run blast by Graham allowed the Lady Trojans to carry a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning. Oak Grove held its own until that point, but the dam finally broke to the tune of eight runs in the frame.
Kady Stringer, McKenzie Stringer and Maycee McKenzie reached base in succession to start the inning before Caydance Brumfield drove in a run on an infield single to third base. Laleigh Duncan and Gracie Odom then drew bases-loaded walks before Griffyn Harmon scored Brumfield on an RBI single. Izzy Pittman and Graham scored more runs on a bases-loaded walk and an RBI groundout, respectively, and McKenzie Stringer ripped an RBI single to left field for run No. 8.
Following a scoreless frame by Pittman in the top of the sixth inning, Kady Stringer hit a “walk-off” RBI single to give West Marion a 12-2 lead to secure a run-rule victory.
Then the next day, the Lady Trojans opened up Region 8-3A play with a bang in blowing through Perry Central 17-0. Pittman, McKenzie and Brumfield led the team with 3 RBI, while Kady Stringer struck out three batters with one hit allowed in three innings of work.
“I told them the other day that this was the most important game of the year – right now, our first district game,” Odom said. “I say this a lot to them, ‘Remember, when you’re at the top, you’re not as good as you think you are. And when you’re at your lowest, you’re not as bad as you think you are.’ We’re trying to keep them in the moment and enjoying every moment.”
Odom added that the word “undefeated” hasn’t come up in conversations among the players and coaches, and he hopes to keep it that way. The goal at the end of the day is to leave the field 1-0.
West Marion returns to action Thursday night with a matchup against Seminary. First pitch from The Swamp is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
