Marshall University Athletics
Herd Baseball, Softball Open Practice for 2002
1/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Herd Baseball, Softball Open Practice for 2002
1/14/2002
Marshall University baseball coach Dave Piepenbrink and softball coach Shonda Stanton welcomed their returning players and newcomers back to campus on Monday and opened preparations for their respective 2002 seasons.
Piepenbrink has 22 returning players and 14 newcomers on the roster to open practice for his fifth season. The Herd posted a 24-29 overall mark last spring, marking the most victories in a season for the Herd since the 1985 campaign.
Among the team?s top returnees are senior outfielder David Colangelo, who led the team with a .392 average and school records for hits (85) and runs (71) last season. Also back for his senior season is third baseman Homer Renshaw, who hit .322 with 15 home runs and 52 RBI last year.
Marshall returns a total of six position starters from last year. The big question for the 2002 season will once again be pitching. New pitching coach Tom Carty only has four proven arms back from last year to go with five newcomers and five others who hope to contribute this year.
Stanton enters her third season at Marshall off a 35-23 mark a year ago. Her top three offensive threats return this spring to go with returning pitcher Sierra Davenport (14-10, 1.85).
Senior Nicole Corrigan led the Herd with a .352 average last year while fellow senior Vanessa Clarkson hit .318 with a team-high four home runs and 34 RBI.
The Marshall baseball team will open the season on the road at Rock Hill, SC, against NCAA Tournament participant Winthrop. They will follow up the next weekend at Auburn, another 2001 NCAA team before closing the first month of the season in a tournament at Charleston Southern. The team will open at home on March 2 against Wright State.
The Herd softball squad will open the 2002 season with four consecutive road tournaments. The team will play in the Central Florida Tournament February 8-10, at the Georgia Tournament on Feb. 22-24, in Chattanooga on March 1-3 and at Elon College on March 8-10. The team will open at home by hosting a tournament March 15-17.
