Pictured standing in the dugout, from left, are Marshall University softball coach Morgan Zerkle and assistants Aly Harrell and Sydney McKinney as the Herd plays Georgia Southern on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
Pictured standing in the dugout, from left, are Marshall University softball coach Morgan Zerkle and assistants Aly Harrell and Sydney McKinney as the Herd plays Georgia Southern on Saturday, March 16, 2024.
When Sydney McKinney made her professional softball debut, Morgan Zerkle was one the first to take her under her wing as they played together with Athletes Unlimited last summer.
Then they became friends, and then Zerkle was hired as MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s coach and hand-picked McKinney as one of her assistants.
One year later, they are back with Athletes Unlimited in the AUX Pro softball competition, but are on opposing teams and were scheduled to play against one another Tuesday night in Wichita, Kansas, where McKinney played collegiately.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSheÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s always trying to trick me at shortstop when sheÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s hitting, so itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a game within the game for us to compete against each other like that,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ McKinney said with a laugh. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMorgan and I are very competitive, so we know when itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s time to play, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s business. When weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re on the field, weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going at it. Obviously each of us want our teams to win, but once we leave the field, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s all good. No hard feelings no matter what, but itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s great to compete against her.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
In year two as a professional, things have slowed down a bit for McKinney, who credited her early leap into coaching as a major help in growing her knowledge as a pro.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI feel like coming into this summer as a pro, I know so much more than I did coming out of my college career going into pro,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ McKinney said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œbecause weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re working with the (Marshall) girls every day, working on their swings, their fielding, and when Morgan and I are practicing together, we can kind of correct each other in the same way.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
On the first day of the AUX Pro competition, McKinney started at shortstop for Team Wiggins, which defeated Team Leach 9-5 behind a six-run second inning. McKinney logged one hit, walked three times and scored twice while registering three defensive assists in the win.
Zerkle, the left fielder for Team Warren, also played against Team Leach later in the day. Warren fell 2-1 after East Carter and Alabama product Montana Fouts pitched four innings and got the win in her professional debut. Zerkle went 1 for 3 at the plate and got credit for one putout.
Team Warren and Team Wiggins were scheduled to play at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening and again Thursday at 8:30 p.m.
Even when they arenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t playing against each other, McKinney said she and Zerkle are drawing off previous knowledge gained together throughout MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s season.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe know what youÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen internally from our girls at Marshall, and when weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re making the same mistakes or doing the same things right, both ways, we can know our path forward because weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve seen it in our girls,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ McKinney said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s nice to be able to relate to the girls from a player aspect. Whether weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re playing great or having our struggles, I think itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s cool to connect in that way, because we are still athletes as well.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Luke Creasy is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @LukeCreasy or reach him by phone at 304-526-2800.
