MARION -- Fittingly, it was a line of seniors that came up big to lift the Marion High School baseball team to a 10-9 eight-inning win over Salem in the first game of a Senior Day doubleheader Saturday at the Crisp Sports Complex.
The Wildcats rolled to a 12-2 win in the second game to end the regular season with a 20-6 record.
The day began with honors given to seniors Austin Palmer, Jake Welch, Mitchell Jackson, D.J. Tucker and Noah Mofield.
Marion had a 7-1 lead in the first game before Salem stormed back and went in front 9-7 with a two-run homer off Tucker in the top of the eighth inning, but Tucker found redemption in the bottom half with a two-run homer of his own to tie it back up.
Mofield came up next and reached on an error, then Palmer drew a walk and Mason Gooch dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt.
After an intentional walk to Josh Griffin loaded the bases, Welch went the other way for a fly ball to right field deep enough to score Mofield for a walk off win.
Cavan Cameron started that rally with a walk. It came after he hit his first career homer in the third inning and after a strong start on the mound that was overshadowed by Salem's comeback against Marion's bullpen.
Tucker had three hits, Palmer had two and Griffin reached base five times for the Wildcats in the opener.
Just like the first game, Marion scored three runs in the first inning of the second contest. Ryan Trokey doubled in two of them after hits by Gooch and Welch.
Tucker stayed hot with two more hits, including a two-run single in the fourth inning, while Drake Gravatt had three hits and Gooch had a pair.
Marion plays either Centralia or Salem in the semifinals of the Centralia 3A Regional on Wednesday. Mt. Vernon faces Olney Richland County in the other semifinal.
