STINGY HUSKIE: Marshall dominated on the mound

MALONE— Pitcher Ashley Marshall had a daunting task at the start of the Northern Athletic Conference softball season.

Malone coach Michele Wiggins told her that she may only get one run of support per game.

"At the beginning of the year, she actually said that," Marshall said. "Other people are going to get hits, and I just had to try and stay focused on what I had to do."

Marshall did, allowing only nine runs in 17 starts and 110 innings pitched. Her 0.57 earned run average and 15-2 record led Malone to the state Class A final four for the first time in 13 years. This is why she is the 2009 Times Northern Athletic Conference MVP.

"Ashley is in a class of her own," Wiggins said. "She's focused, loves the game and knows the game so well."

Marshall hurled 13 of Malone's 15 shutouts, including eight consecutive until the 1-0 loss to Floral Park (the Class A state champion) in the state semifinals.

"My composure improved a lot," Marshall said. "I think I just realized the potential our team had. I knew we could go all the way to the final four. I knew our team had a chance."

The road to the state semifinals saw Marshall compile 214 strikeouts and surrender only 27 hits (1.3 per game). She threw four no-hitters, including one perfect game.

"She was always very good, but this year she really reach another level," Wiggins said.

Her abilities, even before this season, caught the eye of SUNY Plattsburgh coach Sean Cotter. He knew her from last summer when Marshall played for the Adirondack Diamonds, a summer traveling team coached by Marshall's father, Brad.

"I think then (the SUNY Plattsburgh coaches) wanted me to go over there," Marshall said. "Before that, they hadn't really watched me in school."

Marshall pursued the opportunity without Wiggins' help. Wiggins said Marshall didn't need the help.

"She wanted to go there and got herself there," she said. "She had a great career here."

Marshall decided to attend SUNY Plattsburgh in March, a full month before the softball season began. For some, that might result in taking the spring sports season lightly. Not for Marshall.

That especially showed in the state quarterfinals against Oneida, whose coach questioned Malone's defensive abilities.

"Oneida came out in the paper and said they didn't think Franklin Academy could handle the short game," Wiggins said.

Malone won the game 2-0. Marshall said that win was the most memorable moment of the season.

"We knew we had a chance to win, and we wanted to make it to the final four," she said. "That was a really good game. We were all so happy."

Marshall played varsity for five seasons, winning five Section 10 Class A championships and this is her fourth first-team All-Northern selection. She also earned first-team all-state honor from the New York State Sportswriters Association this season.

That selection reflected both Marshall's pitching abilities, and her statistics at the plate. She batted .484 with 31 hits, 19 runs batted in and 31 runs scored.

While playing for SUNY Plattsburgh, Marshall plans to study childhood education in hopes of eventually becoming a elementary schoolteacher.