Marshall University Athletics
Herd Softball Begins Conference Play on the Road in Memphis
3/7/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 7, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Marshall Thundering Herd softball team will open Conference USA action when it travels to Memphis, Tenn., for a three-game series starting Sunday, March 9 at 1 p.m. (ET) at the Tiger Softball Complex.
The Herd and Tigers will meet for a second time, Sunday at 3 p.m. and conclude action Monday, March 10 at noon.
Marshall (8-10) enters the game looking to end a four-game losing skid, while the Tigers (11-8) are fresh off a two-game sweep over the Central Arkansas Bears.
The all-time series between the two schools heavily favors Marshall as it holds a 6-1 advantage. The Herd won the opening game April 29, 2006, 9-5 as then-sophomore Rachel Folden went 3-for-5 with three RBIs to pave the way for Marshall. The Herd is currently on a five-game winning-streak against Memphis.
Last week, Marshall traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., to participate in the 2008 Frost Classic. Rainfall cancelled Friday's games against Eastern Illinois and Buffalo. The Herd picked up an extra game Sunday against Wright State to fill one of the cancelled games and rescheduled against Buffalo. Marshall opened the tournament versus SEC member Kentucky and was defeated 10-4. Caitlyn Jackson led the Herd with three hits and an RBI. Marshall scored three runs in the first inning, but couldn't sustain its lead and gave up two four-run innings to pick up the loss.
The Herd dropped its next decision to Buffalo in the nightcap, 11-6. Marshall cut the Bulls lead to 7-5, before a four-run fifth inning put the Herd away. Jackson and Folden each tallied two hits in the contest.
Sunday's games were much of the same as the Herd fell 9-3 to make-up game Wright State. Deanna Tourville registered two home runs, increased her season total to a team-high five, and three RBIs, but another four-run inning in the sixth secured the Wright State victory.
The Herd appeared to catch a break in the final game against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga when it scored four runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead. The Lady Mocs answered with two runs of its own in the bottom portion of the inning to regain the lead. Marshall tied the game in the seventh on a clutch RBI double from freshman Melanie Stoehr, which scored Folden. The Lady Mocs again came back, this time with a walk-off home run to end the game and capture the win.
Folden and Tourville were awarded all-tournament honors for their efforts. Folden finished the classic with a .538 batting average, while Tourville led all hitters with three home runs. Folden leads the Herd with a season average of .455, good enough for second place in Conference USA and is the conference leader with 11 doubles.
Tourville is currently in third place in the conference with a team-high five home runs and in fifth place with 17 RBIs.
Jackson follows with 15 RBIs and is 24-for-69 (.387) on the season with two doubles, two triples and a home run.
Memphis' Kimberly Hayden has started 18 contests for the Tigers and has a .344 batting average with eight RBIs. Leila Dolfo has a .333 average with a team-high 14 RBIs and four home runs. Janelle Valle is the pitching ace for Memphis with a 1.48 ERA in 12 appearances.
Live streaming of all three games can be watched if an All-Access pass is purchased at www.gotigersgo.com. Free GameTracker will also be provided for the weekend series.
