Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
Marbury High School softball advances to the Class 5A State Tournament with a walk off against Tallassee last week. The 2024 contest was back and forth from start to finish, ending in a walk-off win for Marbury.
For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs Softball team faced the Tallassee Tigers in a Class 5A Central Regional game with the winner advancing as a qualifier for the Class 5A State Tournament. For back-to-back years, the Bulldogs have also advanced to the State Tournament.
Trailing 4-0 in the 3rd inning, Harlie Grantham, Skylar Barks, and Addyson Jarman came up with clutch base hits for the Bulldogs to tie the game. Tallassee answered in the top of the 5th to move ahead, but Marbury scored three runs in the bottom of the frame, and Jarman hit a home run in the 6th inning to put the Bulldogs up 9-6 in what could have been a knockout blow.
The Tigers fought back, scoring three runs in the top of the 7th inning to tie the game at 9-9, leading to the dramatic ending in the bottom of the 7th.
Brooklan Popwell got things going with a single to right field. Pinch runner Jayla Nix stole 2nd base soon after. A walk and a bunt loaded the bases for Marbury. After a pop out, Sara Roeten drew a walk for the third time in the game, bringing home the game winning, and State Tournament qualifying run for the Bulldogs.
“It is a very satisfying feeling to see our girls accomplish what they set out to accomplish,” said Marbury Head Coach Jason Easterling. “Ever since we made the State Tournament last year…returning has been the goal.”
The Bulldogs had already experienced adversity and nail-biting games prior to facing Tallassee. Marbury went 1-1 on day one of the Class 5A Central Regional. They knew that they were going to have to win all three games on day two to continue their season. They knew they were going to have to win all three games without pitcher Elizabeth Woodfin, who was injured the previous day.
“Our girls have always played better with their backs against the wall,” Easterling said. “In the Beauregaurd game we lost pitcher Elizabeth Woodfin to injury, so the ball was put in the hands of Senior Skylar Barks to find a way to keep us in each game and let our bats win it. She did that and then some!”
After defeating John Carroll in the first game of day two, Marbury faced Sylacauga in the second game. Barks, a Bevill State commit, hit a home run in the 6th inning to put the Bulldogs ahead 2-1. She then went to the mound and shut out the Aggies.
For the regional tournament, Barks went 4-0 with an earned run average of 1.419 and 25 strikeouts.
But Marbury’s success this season in advancing to the State Tournament has been a collective team effort, according to Easterling.
Just to name a few, Jarman, a Faulkner commit, has a .560 batting average and leads the team in hits, home runs, and RBIs. Grantham, an MMI commit, had to move from the outfield to 1st base this season due to injury, and posted an impressive fielding percentage of .950.
She had eight hits in the Regional Tournament. Woodfin, an FSW commit, helped the Bulldogs get to the Regional Tournament with two big wins over Demopolis in which she pitched two complete games and struck out 28 batters, only allowing one hit.
The Bulldogs will take on Moody in their first game of the Class 5A State Tournament on Wednesday at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.
Good luck to the Bulldogs at State!
