Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Baseball Meets Canisius For First Time
3/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 15, 2007
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall baseball team welcomes Canisius this weekend to University Heights Field for the first-ever meetings between the two teams. The teams are scheduled to play at 1 p.m. Friday and a doubleheader at noon Saturday. All three games will be broadcast by WMUL 88.1-FM and will be streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul, and Gametracker also will be available at www.herdzone.com.
If Friday's game is postponed because of inclement weather, then it will be moved to Sunday at 1 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader will remain at noon.
Marshall (10-4) won its last contest, 4-3, Wednesday against Youngstown State. Brandon Casamassima (So., Colleyville, Texas) hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the eighth inning and Matt Helm (Jr., Downingtown, Pa.) followed with the go-ahead single to propel Marshall to the comeback win.
Helm finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Brendan Murphy (Sr., Chattanooga, Tenn.) went 2-for-3 and scored two runs. The offense supported a strong effort from the Marshall pitching staff, led by starter Adam Dobies (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.), who tossed six innings and allowed three earned runs, seven hits and a walk while striking out one. Andrew Blain (So., Huntington, W.Va.) pitched out of trouble for a scoreless seventh inning, then Andrew Hancock (Jr., Ashland, Ky.) threw a perfect eighth inning to earn the win and move to 1-0 this year.
Nick Wolle (Sr., Coatesville, Pa.) then set the side down in order in the ninth to earn his sixth save in as many opportunities. With six saves, he is tied with Chris Meadows (2003) for the single-season saves record at Marshall. Wolle is tied for the Conference USA lead in saves with East Carolina's Shane Mathews.
Marshall pitchers have been impressive this season with a 3.58 team ERA. Thundering Herd hurlers have surrendered just four home runs and none since Feb. 17, a span of 12 games. This pitching has been critical in tight games, as Marshall has gone 7-0 in one-run games. This is a stark contrast to 2006 when the Herd went 3-9 in one-run contests.
Canisius comes to Huntington after suffering two losses at nationally-ranked Kentucky this week. The Golden Griffins are in the midst of 24-consecutive road contests to kick off their season. Marshall and Canisius have one opponent in common this year - Morehead State. Marshall lost last week, 7-2, at Morehead State, and Canisius then came two days later and took three of four last weekend against the Eagles.
Kevin Reimer leads Canisius with a .340 batting average with two doubles and nine RBI. As a team, Canisius boasts a .270 batting average and 7.92 ERA.
The Golden Griffins are coached by Mike McRae, who is 31-86 in three years at Canisius.
Marshall travels to James Madison Tuesday and Wednesday for 2:30 p.m. contests. The Herd then opens Conference USA play next Friday against Tulane at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. Tickets for all home Conference USA games are available now at www.herdzone.com or by calling 1-800-THE-HERD.
