Marshall University Athletics
Stetson Slides By Herd
2/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Stetson Slides By Herd
2/6/2004
- Box Score
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. ? Stetson University used solid pitching and steady hitting to sink the Marshall University softball team, 7-3, at Treaty Park in the Herd?s second game of the Triple Crown Classic.
Marshall (1-1) got on the board first after Noelle Adams (Wheeling, W.Va.), pinch-running for Allison Webb (Wayne, W.Va.), found home after a muffed throw to third.
The lead would be short lived, however, as Lacey Prince?s solo home run setoff the Stetson bats in the top of the third.
Stetson (3-0) utilized a pair of singles to the left side of the infield before a blooper to rightfield scored one. Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) cut the damage off with a rocket to Webb behind the plate to keep the Herd within one entering the midpoint of the contest.
The Herd would come back with some offense of its own in the fourth, when Leigh Wintter (Acworth, Ga.) took four straight balls for a walk and pinch runner Ashley Mitchell (Kennesaw, Ga.) found herself in scoring position after a stolen base, but MU came up empty to keep the game at 2-1 in favor of SU.
A no-out leftfield single by Stetson led the Herd to bring in left-handed freshman Abigail Harter (Monmouth, Oreg.) for her first collegiate action.
After giving up a walk, a nasty change-up got Harter her first strikeout of the young season, but more wreckage ensued for the rookie southpaw.
With the bases loaded, SU?s Karrie Cruit sliced a bullet to the left side scoring three runs and putting the Herd down 7-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Herd bats got crafty again after Sarah Wilson (Washington, W.Va.) found a whole in right center and took second after a SU wild pitch. Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.), Davenport and Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) followed up with consecutive singles of their own, scoring Wilson and cutting the lead to within five before a double play ended the inning for the Herd offensive.
Another freshman hurler, Amanda Luers (Dover, Ohio), took the mound to start off the sixth inning.
Luers walked her first batter as well and MU found itself in familiar territory after SU laid down a couple key bunts to advance a runner into scoring position but two nice plays by Webb and Lauren Scott (Hillard, Ohio) got the Herd out unscathed.
The Herd would score one more time in the bottom of the seventh when Scott reached on an error and was pushed home after a J. Williams? single, a Davenport fielder?s choice and another error.
MU defense held strong again on Friday afternoon, giving up no errors compared to three by Stetson.
Blake Hoorelbeke got her second win of the season after giving up seven hits, while Harter, in relief of Sarah Chamberlain (Moses Lake, Wash.),took the loss for the Herd.
Marshall will look to regroup with a 2 p.m. game against Atlantic Sun foe Central Florida on the final day of pool play at the Triple Crown Classic.
