ATLANTA—You can’t overstate the mutual respect that exists between the two sports programs, but when Marist School and St. Pius X High School take the field or court, it’s going to be an all-out tussle for athletic superiority. That was certainly the case when the schools’ softball teams, both undefeated in Class 6-AAAA region play, took to Marist’s Kitchin Field Sept. 22.

Marist pitcher Kylie Burke (#2) had three doubles and batted in five runs to go with her 13 strikeouts. Burke held regional rival, St. Pius X, to six hits, thus securing a 9-2 win in the Sept. 22 game. Photo By Michael Alexander

In the first inning, Marist starting pitcher Kylie Burke hit a double to drive in the team’s first run. Burke, a junior, did it in the batter’s box and on the mound. She had 13 strikeouts to go with her three doubles and five runs batted in for the game.

St. Pius senior outfielder Lorette Edwards’ base hit brought the tying run home in the second inning.

Marist sought to extend the lead in the second inning when they scored four runs off three singles by juniors Peyton Propst, Gabriella Teran and Payton Perez and freshman Katie Goldberg’s double. Three of the four runs came with two outs in the inning.

When St. Pius came up in the fifth inning, junior Kasey Ketner scored the team’s second run with a deep sacrifice fly to the outfield.

Marist scored two more runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth off of Burke’s last two doubles. With her pitching arm, Burke held St. Pius to one hit during the game’s sixth and final seventh inning. Marist won by a final score of 9-2.

Entering the week of Sept. 27, Marist had an overall record of 13-5 (7-0 in the region) and St. Pius had an overall record of 10-9 (5-1 in the region). The softball regional tournament begins Oct. 3.