Marissa-Coulterville’s journey for a third consecutive trip to the Class 1A state baseball tournament ended Saturday at home against Goreville in a 9-4 loss.
Goreville took control of the game from the start, as its first four batters all scored for a quick 4-0 lead. Marissa-Coulterville would trail throughout, and a late last inning rally fell short.
“The first inning was the key,” said Marissa-Coulterville coach Jason Smith. “Their first four batters came across to score, while we were able to get our first batters in scoring position but couldn’t get them in. We were down 4-0 and really never got back into it. If we score a few runs in the first, then it’s a different game.”
Goreville got the game started with a bloop single followed by a double. A wild pitch by starting pitcher David Parkinson allowed the first run of the game. Parkinson gave up a walk to load the bases and then another wild pitch brought home the second run.
Nick Andros, Goreville’s starting left-handed pitcher, finished off the scoring by blasting a two-run home run for a quick 4-0 lead.
The Meteors had a chance to answer right back in the bottom half of the first inning as Cody Mahan reached on a walk and Casey Pitchford followed up with a double.
The inning would stall for Marissa-Coulterville, as Andros answered with back-to-back strikeouts, then induced a pop out to escape the inning with the 4-0 lead intact.
Goreville broke open the game in the fourth inning off relief pitcher Chris Fullerton. Fullerton came in to pitch in the second inning and tossed two scoreless innings before allowing five runs on four hits and three walks. Goreville’s lead ballooned to 9-0.
The Meteors got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the fourth. Kyle Sinn came through with a clutch two-out infield single to score Brett Gilley, but Marissa-Coulterville still trailed big, 9-1, heading into the fifth.
Marissa-Coulterville senior Michael Lloyd, who disconnected and fractured his elbow in the third game of the season, gave his team and fans a boost to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning.
Knowing his team was probably playing in their last inning of the season, coach Smith brought in Lloyd in to pinch hit to end his prep career. Lloyd didn’t disappoint and lined a base hit into right field for a lead-off single, before being replaced by a pinch runner. Lloyd was welcomed by a standing ovation by his teammates and the fans.
 Mahan and Pitchford followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases with no outs.
However, Andros, like he had all day, responded in the clutch by striking out the next two batters to bring Marissa-Coulterville’s  season down to one last out.
Kevin Galle waited out a walk to score the Meteors’ second run, then Gilley came through with a single to plate two runs as the lead was reduced to 9-4.
Elijah Burton hit a slow infield roller and was called out at first base on a close play to bring the game and Marissa-Coulterville’s season to an end.
Andros went the distance for Goreville, giving up four runs on eight hits while striking out eight.
“Their pitcher did a great job,” said Smith. “He had great command on his slider and he just tied us up all game long. Goreville is a great club and Andros is a great pitcher. Today they were just the better team.”
Parkinson took the loss for Marissa-Coulterville, while Pitchford and Gilley each had two hits in the loss.
With the loss, the Meteors wrapped up their season with a record of 28-7.
“We had an amazing season, considering all the adversity we faced,” said Smith, “losing Lloyd for almost the entire year, having Mahan pull his hamstring and Fullerton with his hip issues. We had a lot of injuries this year. For us to come out and win 28 games is great. It hurts right now, but when we look back at this season, we will be wondering how we won 28 games.”
Goreville advanced to the  Marion Super-Sectional where the team defeated Patoka 20-13 Tuesday. The Blackcats will face Tri-Valley in the state semifinals Friday.

The Meteors advanced to the sectional championship game by defeating Carrier Mills 13-2 in five innings Thursday.
The Marissa-Coulterville offense scored a run in the top of the first inning, three in the second, three in the third and six in the fifth.
Elijah Burton earned the win as he allowed just two runs on three hits.
Cody Mahan was a monster offensively for the Meteors, as he went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and six runs batted in. David Parkinson went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and five runs batted in.