Marion softball team looking for improvement down homestretch
Swamp Foxes led by North Carolina A&T signee Maliyah Williams
Marion – The Marion High School softball team has been experienced up the middle defensively under the guidance of head coach Kenosha Hyman. That isn’t the case this season.
“My key spots, which are pitching, catcher and shortstop, are first-year varsity players,” said Hyman, who led Marion to the AA state championship series in 2024. “We are struggling when it comes to pitching and catcher, but they are getting better as we go along.”
Freshman Layla Gause has taken on the pitching duties after Kynnedi Jenkins transferred. The catcher is sophomore Mariah Hyman, the head coach’s granddaughter. The shortstop is also a freshman in Shamya Moses.
While the Swamp Foxes aren’t off to a start like in previous seasons, they are still doing OK. They were 4-6 overall heading into spring break and 4-2 in Region 7-AA. They swept both Kingstree and Mullins in the 2-game region series and were swept by Atlantic Collegiate Academy.
Coming back from spring break Marion had region series remaining against Lake City, Manning and defending AA state champion East Clarendon.
The Swamp Foxes do have five returning starters from last season. Leading the way is senior third baseman and leadoff hitter Maliyah Williams. Also Coach Hyman’s granddaughter, Williams has signed to play collegiately with North Carolina A&T.
Williams was batting .538 in the early going with two doubles, a triple and two home runs.
The other returning starters are senior first baseman Sheteira Bethea, senior leftfielder Kendall Romesburg, junior centerfielder Naveah Shaw and senior second baseman Kristin Shaw.
Moses bats second behind Williams while Gause bats in the 3 hole and Bethea handles cleanup. Romesburg bats fifth Nevaeh Shaw sixth, Hyman seventh, junior rightfielder Ariya Admore eighth and Kristin Shaw ninth.
Gause was batting .643 and Nevaeh Shaw was at .462.
Coach Hyman was also hoping to get senior 4-year starter Ayoni Malloy and sophomore Yani Thomas back from injuries following the break. Malloy, who had a triple and a home run in her one game, was expected to be able to play in the first game back. Thomas, who was batting .444 in three appearances, had a doctor’s appointment and was awaiting clearance.
Coach Hyman hopes better things await the Swamp Foxes coming down the homestretch of the season.
“We had to build the team up this year,” she said. “We will be building up to be better in the future.”
BASEBALL STARTS 4-2 IN REGION
The Marion baseball team owned just a 4-8 record through its first 12 games. However, where it counts – in region play – the Swamp Foxes were in much better shape.
They were 4-2, which was practically enough to secure a berth in the state playoffs. Of course, MHS wants more than that in its remaining region series against Lake City, East Clarendon and Manning.
Malachi Graham was leading in hitting in the early portion of the season with a .636 average. Andre Stanley was batting .579, Jontae Cooper was batting .455, and Nigel Smith was hitting an even .400.
Jayden Hilbourne had the best pitching numbers. He had a 2-1 record with a 2.71 ERA in 10 1/3 innings. Smith had a 2.47 ERA, 11 strikeouts and a 1-0 record in 5 2/3 innings. Graham had a 4.42 ERA in 6 1/3 innings.
