Marshall University Athletics
Softball Downs Notre Dame
3/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Softball Downs Notre Dame
3/19/2005
- Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio ? A cold, steady rain cancelled two games and delayed two others on Saturday afternoon but the Marshall softball team finally got its chance against Notre Dame at 7 p.m., and took advantage, dropping the Fighting Irish, 7-4, in the Buckeye Invitational at The Ohio State University.
A pair of Marshall (14-8) errors in the first inning resulted in Notre Dame?s first run of the game and a Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) balk scored another for a 2-0 Irish lead. Clean-up hitter Meagan Ruthrauff followed up with a RBI single to score the third run of the frame.
After a stellar diving grab at left field, Noelle Adams (Wheeling, W.Va.) walked to lead off the third and Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) singled before a successful double steal to put two in scoring position with no outs in the third. A Jessica Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) fielder?s choice allotted Adams home for a 3-1 contest. Rachel Folden?s (Baldwin Park, Calif.) two-RBI single to right would score two more and even the game at three apiece.
In the fifth, A. Williams doubled and J. Williams got on via a fielder?s choice. A. Williams got caught in a pickle between second and third for the second out of the inning. Folden then registered her eighth RBI in three games with a single to left to give Marshall its first lead of the game.
A Liz Hartmann double to left field scored one run in the sixth to knot the game at fours. Nielson remained in some trouble as runners sat at first and second with one out before Guzzo gunned down the runner at second for out number two in the frame. Nielson came up with a strikeout to end the inning.
J. Williams singled and Folden was hit by a pitch for the Herd?s clean-up batter,
Leigh Wintter (Acworth, Ga.). The junior delivered, sending a scorching shot over the left centerfield fence for a 7-4 MU lead and eventual win.
Nielson pitched the complete game effort, giving up eight hits and four runs while striking out two to move to 8-4 in 2005. Folden went 3-for-3 with three RBI to lead the Herd offensively.
?We are very excited to get this win today,? head coach Shonda Stanton said. ?To go down 3-0 to a team the caliber of Notre Dame could be a little intimidating, but we hung right in there and picked up the win.?
Marshall finishes up in Columbus tomorrow with a showdown with the host Buckeyes. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
