Marshall University Athletics
Herd Softball Shuts Out Samford, 6-0
3/2/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Herd Softball Shuts Out Samford, 6-0
3/2/2003
Sophomore Randi Nielson scattered three hits in the Herd shutout victory over Samford. |
CHATTANOOGA, TN - Sophomore hurler Randi Nielson held Samford University to three hits as the Marshall University Thundering Herd shut out the Bulldogs, 6-0 on Sunday morning.
Marshall (9-4) took the lead from the beginning and never looked back. Leadoff batter Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, GA) doubled down the left field line to get things going for the Herd. Sierra Davenport (Tucson, AZ) moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt before Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, GA) walked and stole second and De?Shaun Drake (Spring Valley, CA) walked to load the bases. A pair of singles by West Virginia natives, Allison Webb and Karri Britt brought in the Williams sisters and Drake scored on a wild pitch by the Bulldog hurler, to make the score 3-0 after the first half inning.
All was quiet until the fourth when Britt walked and Noelle Adams (Wheeling, WV) came in to run. Sara Spenia (Las Vegas, NV) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her to second and Courtney Kacenga (Sierra Vista, AZ) singled and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Head coach Shonda Stanton then brought freshman Jennifer Susman (Lewisburg, WV) in to pinch hit. Susman did not disappoint, coming up with a two run single down the left field line and putting the Thundering Herd up 5-0.
Samford came up with their first hit of the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Nielson (Tucson, AZ) would not allow the Bulldogs to score.
Drake led off the fifth inning with a single and Webb reached on a Bulldog error. Leigh Wintter (Acworth, GA) moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. The Herd was only able to push one runner across on a RBI ground ball by Britt, to make the score 6-0.
Nielson went the distance, giving up only three hits and striking out six. She improves to 5-2 on the season with the victory. Seven different MU players recorded hits in the contest, with Kacenga leading the way going 2-for-3.
The Herd will return to action immediately as it takes on the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky University in their final game of the UTC Frost Classic.
