The Marion Bobcats’ season came to an end Tuesday with an 0-2 first-round playoff loss at Fulton. A makeshift lineup that saw four Bobcats forced to play out of position due to an injury-depleted clubhouse was able to hold the Railroaders to just two runs, but failed to produce any scoring of its own. In fact, the Bobcats accumulated only two hits off Fulton starter Tyler Farley, who threw all nine innings.
For Marion, Justin O’Brien, the team-leader in strikeouts, threw seven innings, giving up only a solo home run to Phillip Dean and an unearned run that came home on a Mike DeSanto throwing error. O'Brien recorded 13 strikeouts and gave up only four hits.
At the plate, only Jake Martin and Bo Daves, one of two pitchers who started in the field, registered hits, both singles. Pitcher Josh Reynolds was used as pinch hitter in the eighth, but struck out looking.
"Most everybody got in the game," said General Manager Gordon Guess.
Defensively, Daves played right field while fellow pitcher Jason Long played in left. Zach Thomas and Fred Rossi, both catchers, played third and first base, respectively.
Marion left seven runners on base in the game, including the second inning when Long left the bases loaded by striking out.
"It went downhill from there," Guess said of the offense.
The Bobcats finished in last placed, 20-30 on the regular season and 0-1 in the postseason. In two years of play, Marion is 41-56 in the regular season and 1-3 in the playoffs.
In other KIT League play:
- Sikeston's playoff game at Owensboro was rained out and will be made up Wednesday.
