The East Marion Lady Eagles may have been swept out of their first-ever playoff series on the diamond, but they didn’t go out without a fight.
In Game 1 Friday at home against Nanih Waiya, East Marion fell behind 11-1 through four innings but rallied for two runs in the fifth, six in the sixth and two in the seventh. However, Nanih Waiya added three insurance runs in the sixth and won 14-11.
Brittany Dearman led the charge at the plate with three hits and 3 RBI, while Kaiya Porter laced two doubles to drive in a pair and Amber Willis had a double and a single with 2 RBI. Jada Mingo ripped two singles and had an RBI, and Asiah Allen had a triple, a double and scored two runs. Skyler Sistrunk went the distance in the circle and struck out four.
The Lady Eagles again rallied from a significant deficit in Game 2 in Louisville but came up with too little, too late in a 12-10 loss Saturday.
Five different Lady Eagles connected for doubles, and Allen and Willis each had three hits and an RBI. Jalasia Aikens (RBI), Mingo (2 RBI), SIstrunk (RBI) and Porter (RBI) each had two hits, and Azariyah Magee also drove in a run as East Marion collected 17 hits. Sistrunk again went the distance and struck out seven in six innings.
Though the Lady Eagles (11-12) failed to advance out of the first round, there’s no questioning the 2018 season as a success after reaching the postseason for the first time. However, East Marion graduates six seniors, including Sistrunk who signed with Coahoma Community College and pitched 122 of a possible 127 innings for the Lady Eagles.
Head coach Jeremy Allen could not be reached for comment.
Pictured Above: East Marion's Skyler Sistrunk throws a strike against Nanih Waiya. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
