Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Softball Takes First Two Conference Contests From Buffalo
3/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Marshall Softball Takes First Two Conference Contests From Buffalo
3/22/2003
- Game 1
- Game 2
Parkersburg native Sarah Wilson came through with a double in extra innings to lead the Herd to victory in game one. She then stroked a three run home run in the second contest to put the game out of reach. |
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.- Sarah Wilson came through with a pair of big hits to lead the Herd to its first two Mid-American Conference victories of the season. Marshall University (21-8, 2-0) defeated the University at Buffalo (6-10, 0-2) 3-2 and 6-0 in a doubleheader at Dot Hicks Field on Saturday.
In the first contest both teams left numerous runners on base starting in the first when both teams loaded the bases, but not one run crossed the plate. Buffalo was able to take the early lead in the top of the third, using a single hit, a walk and Marshall error to score two runs.
The Herd threatened in the third and left the bases loaded again in the fourth, but it wasn?t until the fifth that Marshall finally scored its first run of the contest. Sara Spenia (Las Vegas, NV) drove in Amanda Williams with a sacrifice fly to cut the Bull's lead in half and make the score 2-1 after five innings.
Leaving it down to the wire, Marshall?s Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz) and Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) led off the seventh with back to back singles. De?Shaun Drake (Spring Valley, Calif.) then laced a single to center that scored Davenport and tied the game at two. Marshall wasn?t able to score another and the contest headed to extra innings.
All was quiet on both fronts until the bottom of the 10th inning when Marshall?s Sarah Wilson (Parkersburg, W.Va.) led off with a double to deep left field. Courtney Kacenga (Sierra Vista, Ariz.) moved Wilson to third with a sacrifice bunt before Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) singled to keep things going. An errant throw by the Bulls then allowed Wilson to score and the game ended with the final 3-2.
Davenport (2-1) picked up the win for the Herd, taking the mound in relief in the eighth inning. Both Williams sisters and Davenport went two-for-four at the plate to lead MU.
Marshall did not make things quite as interesting in the second game of the doubleheader. The Herd loaded the bases in the bottom of the first and Davenport came around to score when Allison Webb (Wayne, W.Va.) was hit by a pitch for the 11th time this season.
Starting pitcher De?Shaun Drake held on to the slim lead, not allowing a Buffalo hit until the fourth inning. The Herd broke the game wide open in the fifth, scoring five runs off four hits. Amanda Williams doubled, before Drake and Webb each singled. Spenia then walked as the Herd set the stage for Wilson?s line drive home run, her second of the season, that scored three.
Sarah Chamberlain (Moses Lake, Wash.) came in to close out the game for the Herd on the mound. She shut down the Bulls allowing them no hits in the final two innings of the contest and Marshall took the 6-0 victory.
Amanda Williams went 2-for-3 and Davenport 3-for-4 to lead the Herd again in the second contest. Webb and Wilson accounted for five of Marshall?s six RBIs.
The Herd will face off against the Bulls in a single game at Dot Hicks Field on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
