Published on May 24, 2025 9:49 am
Last Updated on May 24, 2025 9:55 am
By: Dustin White
193 pitches were thrown, 60 batters stepped to the plate, and 46 outs were recorded before a run scored in Friday afternoon’s championship game of the Class 2A Teutopolis softball regional.
Unfortunately for the host Wooden Shoes, the run that finally scored on the 194th pitch to the 61st batter belonged to Marshall as the second-seeded Lions walked off No. 3 T-town by a 1-0 final in eight innings at Teutopolis Community Park.
The game was heard on KJ Country 102.3.
Marshall cleanup hitter McKenzie Davis ripped a one-out base hit just inside the third base line off T-town pitcher Alyssa Tipton to score teammate Lynn Welborn from second and send the Lions to next week’s Tolono Unity Sectional.
Tipton – hampered down the stretch of the season by an injury to her left leg – was fantastic for the Shoes, going toe-to-toe with Marshall starter Haley McGuire for more than the regulation seven innings; the Teutopolis junior scattered six hits and a couple walks while striking out five in 7 ⅓ innings.
Up to the point Davis ended the proceedings, Marshall had gone 0-for-8 against Tipton with runners in scoring position … including what could have been a season-deciding gaffe in the fifth inning when an apparent one-out sacrifice fly to left resulted in an inning-ending double play because the Lions’ runners on second and third were off on contact under the impression there were two outs.
After retiring the first 10 hitters she faced, Tipton worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth and also sidestepped a leadoff double in the seventh. Welborn got the eighth started with a solid base hit to left, moved to second on a bunt and scored on the Davis hit after an intentional walk to McGuire to avoid the senior pitcher’s hot bat and set up forces around the infield.
McGuire was obviously great in the circle as well, racking up nine strikeouts against just one walk and five hits (all singles) in her eight innings of work.
T-town’s Malea Helmink was the only player on either team with more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. Kera Hartke, Kyle Borries and Lauryn Shue had a hit apiece. Hartke also drew the lone walk to lead off the game after a wonderful 10-pitch at-bat, while Borries *just* missed going 2-for-3. Another few inches higher and her liner to shortstop to end the fourth inning would’ve been an RBI base hit after Helmink led off with a base hit and moved to second on a throwing error later in the frame.
Just one senior graduates off of this year’s Teutopolis squad, which closes out the campaign at 13-12. Kayleigh Zerrusen will be playing softball at Eureka College next year. Marshall, a winner of its third straight regional title, improves to 22-8.
Class 2A Teutopolis Regional Championship
Teutopolis 000 000 00 – 0-5-1
Marshall 000 000 01 – 1-6-1
WP – McGuire
LP – Tipton
Teutopolis – Hartke, single, walk; Gaddis, sacrifice bunt; Helmink, 2 singles; Borries, single; Shue, single, stolen base.
Marshall – Welborn, single, run; English, walk, sacrifice bunt; McGuire, single, walk, stolen base; Davis, single, RBI; Cornwell, double; Hilliard, single; Gustafson, single, stolen base.