Marion County softball seeks to continue run in Elite Eight

With only 10 players, the Marion County softball team doesn’t boast the big roster many opponents might have. But leading up to its appearance in the Class A Public Elite Eight, that hasn’t slowed the team down at all.

The Lady Eagles put their season on the line 9 a.m. Thursday at Columbus’ Softball Complex when they host Trion in Columbus to start the quarterfinals. Marion County boasts a 20-3 record, but head coach David Wells knows too well that his players will have their hands full against the Lady Bulldogs.

“We have a tough draw with Trion,” Wells said. “They’re traditionally a really good team. We played them two years ago up there in (the second round). We played them tough, but they beat us. They’ve still got a couple of the same players on the team now. They’re going to be good.”

As Wells well knows, his players are no slouches, either.

The Lady Eagles tormented most of the teams in Region 4-A and have played just as strong since the state tournament began. Led by pitchers Britney Foster and Ansley Whitley and an offense that is formidable from the top of the lineup to the bottom, Marion County quickly showed itself to be a team ready to contend.

For Wells, the Lady Eagles’ play didn’t change at all in the second round against Washington-Wilkes.

“I’ve been extremely happy with the way they’ve handled the playoffs. It’s been pretty much how they’ve handled all the big games this year,” Wells said. “We’ve had several come-from-behind games, similiar to the one where we beat Washington-Wilkes in the bottom of the seventh down 3-1 [Marion County won 4-3]. It’s just a matter of believing it can be done.”

Although his team will have an usually early start Thursday, Wells has been conscious of keeping things consistent leading up to the quarterfinals. As far as practice goes, the team might practice on a different field leading up to the opening game, but what they do will remain the same.

Wells stressed that his team’s chances hinge on good pitching with capable defensive play behind it. If the Lady Eagles can get that plus some timely hits, they have a chance to beat anyone.

Wells lauded his 10-girl team, saying it was hard to single out just one player for her efforts this season. That reliability has been an asset this season, and one the team will need if it wants to go further in the postseason.

“It all goes back to teamwork,” Wells said. “That’s what makes the team go — when they’re playing together.”

This story was originally published October 25, 2017 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Marion County softball seeks to continue run in Elite Eight."