Marshall University Athletics
Herd Softball Set for Final Conference Road Series
4/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 19, 2008
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Marshall Thundering Herd softball team will be making its final Conference USA road trip when it travels to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a three game series against Southern Miss., beginning with a doubleheader, Saturday, April 19 at 1:00 p.m. (CT). Series final is slated for Sunday at noon (CT) at the Southern Miss. Softball Complex.
The Herd enters the series winning nine of its last 11 games including a 2-1 series victory over UAB last weekend. Marshall claimed a 6-4 marathon win over the Blazers in game one that lasted 10 innings. Freshman Melanie Stoehr clinched the Herd victory with a walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10th, a two-run shot, her third of the year.
The Blazers bounced back in the second game with a 3-0 victory. Marshall claimed the finale and the series with a 11-0 pounding. The Herd collected nine hits, including a Samantha Rodriguez two-run first inning home run, which paved the way for Marshall. The Herd recorded six runs in the first and added four in the fourth to secure the win.
Marshall is fresh off a doubleheader sweep over Morehead State, Tuesday. The Herd trailed the Eagles, 1-0 in the fifth inning before answering with three consecutive home runs. Senior All-American Rachel Folden started the back-to-back-to-back feat with an inside the park home run. Senior Samantha Rodriguez and sophomore Caitlyn Jackson followed to conclude the homer frenzy.
To complete the sweep, the Herd scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the Eagles away. Trailing 4-3, Marshall's third baseman Marcene Bertoldo led off the inning with a single. After surrendering two-outs, Folden extended the inning with a base on balls. A Rodrigue RBI single scored Bertoldo, which preceded a Jackson single that scored Folden off an error by Morehead State's left fielder to score the game-winning run.
Reigning C-USA Hitter of the Week, Folden, continues to lead the Herd with a .433 average and 14 home runs. She has a team-high with 19 doubles and picked up her first career triple during the UAB series. After a 5-for-9 perfomance with 11 walks, three home runs and triple, she was named the conference weekly award winner for a third time this season.
Junior Rachael Sofie has continue to produce hitting in the clean up spot for the Herd. The Everett, Wash., native is batting .378 with seven doubles and 22 RBIs.
The Herd's primary designated player, Rodriguez, has produced 10 home runs, six doubles and two triples to garner a .539 slugging percentage, which places her second on the team.
In the circle for the Herd has been the left-handed Jackson. Jackson holds an 10-14 record with a 3.83 ERA, but has enjoyed a perfect 5-0 record and a 1.49 ERA during the month of April.
The Golden Eagle's outfielder Megan Hill has been the primary hitter all season long. She has a .325 average with a team-high 26 RBIs and four home runs. She's second on the team with six doubles and has an on-based percentage of .452.
Jennifer Fox and Kristin Pilgrim has been the secondary hitters for the Eagles with Fox holding the better batting average of the two, .303. They combine for five home runs and 40 RBIs for Southern Miss.
Ace Samantha Davis will see most of the action for the Eagles during the three-game series. She has a 2.41 average and a record of 12-7 with a team-high 69 strikeouts.
Southern Miss., is fresh off a 4-0 loss against South Alabama, Wednesday. Prior to being shutout, the Golden Eagles defeated Memphis in a three-game series after claiming game one, 2-0 and game three, 7-5. The Tigers bested Southern Miss., in the second game, 4-0.
Live streaming and free GameTracker will be available for all three games.
