Marshall University Athletics
Top-Seeded Softball Begins Journey for MAC Tournament Title
8/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 10, 2005
AKRON, Ohio - The quest for a Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship and subsequent NCAA-bid begins on Wednesday as the top seeded Marshall softball team takes on eighth-seeded Kent State at 7:30 p.m. at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio.
Marshall (35-18, 20-4 MAC) captured the regular season title this past weekend, the program's second championship in three years. Led by freshman Rachel Folden and her .415 batting average, 68 hits, 19 doubles and 54 RBI, the Herd has been tops in the conference offensively all season long. Folden needs one RBI and eight hits to become the single season record holder in each of those categories.
On the mound, senior Randi Nielson will get her final chance at a tournament title. Nielson leads the Herd with a 2.19 ERA and a 19-7 record. The senior needs just six wins to become the winningest pitcher in Marshall history, and a mere five wins to break her single season record of 23 wins.
The Herd will be facing a familiar opponent in the Kent State Golden Flashes. MU took two of three against KSU last weekend. The lone win for the Golden Flashes was just enough to get the squad into the post-season. Marshall leads the all-time series with KSU, 16-10.
KSU (25-25, 10-11 MAC) is led by the trio of Abby Molnar, Jodi Stevens and Ashley Ball. All three boast batting averages slightly over .300 and supply the Flashes with the bulk of its offense. In the circle, Brittney Robinson has a 10-13 record with a 2.49 ERA to lead the KSU pitching staff. Kent State broke the school-record for home runs in a season last weekend and now has 32 on the year.
Stay logged onto www.herdzone.com for all information on the Marshall softball team in the 2005 MAC Tournament.
Wednesday, May 11
Game 1 - #3 Miami vs. #6 Bowling Green, 11 a.m.
Game 2 - #2 Central Michigan vs. #7 Eastern Michigan, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 - #4 Western Michigan vs. # 5 Buffalo, 5 p.m.
Game 4 - #1 Marshall vs. #8 Kent State, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 12
Game 5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 11 a.m.
Game 6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1:30 p.m.
Game 7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5 p.m.
Game 8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 13
Game 9 - Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 5, 11 a.m.
Game 10 - Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 6, 1:30 p.m.
Game 11 - Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9, 5 p.m.
Game 12 - Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 14
Game 13 (if necessary) - Same two teams from Game 11, 10 a.m.
Game 14 (if necessary) - Same two teams from Game 12, 12:30 p.m.
Game 15 - MAC Tournament Championship, 3 p.m.
