Marshall University Athletics
Softball Splits at Elon Phoenix Classic
3/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Splits at Elon Phoenix Classic
3/8/2002
Burlington, N.C.- Marshall University?s softball team split two games in the Elon Phoenix Classic at the Burlington City Park today. The Thundering Herd (4-9) fell 2-1 to the College of Charleston in the first contest of the day, before defeating the University of Eastern Illinois 1-0.
?This is a special group of young ladies and they really showed their strength and perseverance,? head coach Shonda Stanton said. ?We could have easily come out today and gone through the motions, but I am so proud of how they played with determination and a willingness to win.?
In the first game College of Charleston scored early on an error and a pair of wild pitches to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Cougars held that lead until the top of the fourth when Marshall?s Missy Workman (Huntington, W. Va.) crossed the plate on a wild pitch to tie the score at one.
The contest remained deadlocked until the bottom of the ninth inning. With the international tie-breaker rule in effect, College of Charleston?s Lauren Rabun started off the inning at second base and later scored on a base hit by Amanda Cone.
Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) went one-for-three at the plate for the Herd and Nicole Corrigan (Corona, Calif.) and Kelli Hall (Huntington, W.Va.) went one-for-four. Freshman pitcher Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) fell to 1-4 on the mound with the loss. Nielson gave up only two hits, three walks and struck out nine batters in 8.1 innings of work.
Marshall immediately returned to the field to face the Panthers of Eastern Illinois. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Herd?s Sarah Chamberlain (Moses Lake, Wash.) lined a base hit to centerfield to score De?Shaun Drake (Spring Valley, Calif.). The one run differential held throughout the game as the Herd improved their record to 4-9 with the victory.
Corrigan and Vanessa Clarkson (Moreno Valley, Calif.) went one-for-two to lead the Herd at the plate. Chamberlain improved her record to 2-3 on the mound with win. She allowed only two hits, two walks and had seven strikeouts.
The Thundering Herd returns to action tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. against Delaware State University.
