Marshall County softball player, Merriel Jackson, signed her letter of intent to play softball at Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois. Shawnee is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the softball head coach is Kyle Smith.
Merriel has been a member of the Lady Marshals softball varsity team for four years. She has appeared in 88 games, starting 79 of those games heading into her senior season this spring. She is a great hitter in the middle of the lineup with a career .321 average with 13 doubles, three triples and 31 RBIs.
“The numbers are not the most important thing about having Merriel in your lineup though, she always seems to find a way to bring a spark when the team needs it, with big hits in big situations”, said Head Coach Shane Darnall. “Merriel plays with grit and has a great work ethic.”
As a starting catcher the past three years, Merriel leads the team in innings caught and has a caught-stealing percentage of 16.5 percent. She has great in-game IQ, commanding the field from the catcher’s position and always willing to sacrifice her body to get an out for her team.
Merriel is also a star in the classroom with a GPA of 4.04.
“I am excited to see what this upcoming season holds for her, and I only expect her to get better from here”, said Darnall. “It has been an honor to coach Merriel as a Lady Marshal for the past two seasons. With her work ethic and dedication to the game, I am not surprised she has earned this opportunity.”
Merriel was joined by members of her family, friends, the softball team and coaches at Wednesday’s signing.
