Marshall University Athletics
Herd Softball to Host Weekend Festivities
10/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Oct. 1, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.- The Marshall University softball team will return to Dot Hicks Field for the first time after facing Kentucky and Ohio State a week ago in Lexington, Ky.
In its last outing, the Herd dropped a pair of games on the road with a 2-1 loss to host Kentucky and a 5-4 defeat to Ohio State.
Against Kentucky, the Herd put up the first run of the game in the second after Samantha Spurlock scored on a Caitlyn Jackson single to left. The Wildcats came back in the third when two runners scored on a MU infield error. Both runs went unearned as Katie Murphree pitched for six innings while allowing two hits.
"We let the Kentucky game get away from us with an error," head coach Shonda Stanton said. "Overall, I liked how we scored first and early in both games."
In the game against OSU, Melanie Stoehr put MU up 1-0 in the first after plating Alianna Telles on a single up the middle. OSU chalked two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead at 2-1.
The Buckeyes then extended its lead to 5-1 in the third after a two-run homerun by Vanessa Spears, followed by a solo-homerun by Sam Marder.
The Herd fought back with one run in the fourth by Marcena Bertoldo off a Jackson single to left. MU returned in the sixth with back-to-back home runs by Stoehr and Rebecca Gamby before the Herd fell 5-4.
Rachel Rillo took the loss for MU after leaving the circle after two innings. Jessica Ferrick pitched for four innings, with three strikeouts and no hits.
"In the Ohio state game I was pleased with how, as a young group, we came back to fight," Stanton said. "They showed a lot of character in a fall ball contest. Ferrick did a good job of controlling things for us on the mound. It was great to see that from a freshman in her first performance for us."
For the weekend, Stoehr, Gamby and Jackson went two-for-three at the plate. Stoehr and Jackson both registered two RBI.
MU softball will hold its annual Alumni Game on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Dot Hicks Field. The Herd will host Charleston at 10 a.m. Sunday, followed immediately by a matchup against Shawnee State at noon.
Charleston and Shawnee State are slated to play at 2 p.m. following the conclusion of the Marshall games.
"We are excited to host quality in-state teams to give our fan base a glimpse of this year's exciting team," head coach Shonda Stanton said. "This is our most extensive fall schedule and come mid-October we will have a solid handle on planning for our out-of-season workouts."
The full MU fall softball schedule can be viewed online at www.herdzone.com.
www.HerdZone.com
