Marshall University Athletics
Softball Opens Tournament with 3-2 Victory Over Oakland
3/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Opens Tournament with 3-2 Victory Over Oakland
3/15/2002
Huntington, W. Va.- The Marshall University softball team (6-9) opened the Marshall University Spring Softball Classic sponsored by Hampton Inn today with a 3-2 win over Oakland University. Play was halted in the fifth inning of the second contest of the evening with the Herd leading Cleveland State University, 2-1. Play is expected to resume at 8:00 p.m.
In the first contest of the afternoon Marshall hurler Randi Nielson (Tucson, AZ) and Oaklands?s Nicole Marzano squared off in a classic pitcher?s duel. Nielson allowed only two hits and Marzano only four in nine innings of play.
The first hit for the Grizzlies came in the form of a solo homer in the top of the third inning off the bat of Jaymie Voss. The game remained 1-0 until the bottom of the seventh when Marshall?s Carrie Dean (Paradise, Calif.) singled home De?Shaun Drake (Spring Valley, Calif.) to tie the game.
In the top of the eight inning the international-tie breaker rule was instituted, placing a runner on second base to start the inning. However, neither team was able to push a run across the plate until the top of the ninth inning when Oakland scored a single run. The Herd came right back in their half of the inning when Nikki Wilcox (Lake Forest, Calif.) was placed on second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Vanessa Clarkson (Moreno Valley, Calif.). Marshall wasn?t done after tying the game at two. Dean walked and later came around to score on a clutch line drive base hit by Kelli Hall (Huntington, W.Va.) wrap up the contest in favor of the Herd.
Marshall will complete their contest with Cleveland State later this evening and is scheduled to play Oakland University at 10:00 a.m. and the University of Dayton at noon tomorrow at Dot Hicks Field.
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