Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UNC Greensboro
Marshall Softball Edges UNC-Greensboro, 4-3
2/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 20, 2009
ATHENS, Ga. - Behind the arm of junior Katie Murphree (Tallahassee, Fla.), Marshall was to take a close victory over UNC-Greensboro Friday at the Georgia Softball Classic.
Though four errors were committed by Marshall, Murphree controlled the game from the circle as she pitched a complete game picking up the victory with 10 strikeouts and two earned runs.
"It was great for our team to get this win, however I'm not very pleased with our defensive mistakes today," head coach Shonda Stanton said. "We need to be able to make plays and fortunately for us Katie (Murphree) had it going in the circle and we got this win."
For the fourth consecutive game, the Thundering Herd (5-4) took an early lead of the game ball in the bottom of the first.
Senior J.J. Bitner (Virginia Beach, Va.) notched an infield hit beating out the throw to first. Freshman Rebecca Gamby (Mount Victory, Ohio) hit a ball to second base which would be bobbled scoring Bitner from second.
The lead would be short lived however as Greensboro (6-5) would tie the game in the second. Kaitlin Merkt led off the inning by reaching base on a dropped fly by freshman Samantha Spurlock. Merkt advanced to second after an illegal pitch and eventually score when Jordan Jewett lined a shot to left.
In the top of the third, the Spartans tried to capitalize on another Marshall error with a lead off runner on base followed by a walk. The Herd would escape though when Whitney Sirois lined out to Gamby and throwing out Brittany Ausley at second.
Greensboro would jump ahead 2-1 in the fourth when Mary Catherine Vercoe hit a solo home run to left field giving them their first lead of the day. The Spartans tried to extend its lead with runners on the corners and one out but great defense helped Marshall get out of the inning.
With a big fourth inning, the Herd took back control of the game and the lead with a three-run inning. The inning would start with junior Caitlyn Jackson (Ontario, Calif.) secured her ninth straight game with a single to the outfield. Freshman Melissa Loesing (Grapevine, Texas) entered to pinch run for Jackson.
After Loesing stole second, sophomore Melanie Stoehr (Tacoma, Wash.) singled to second scoring Loesing to tie the game at 2-2. Senior Kelly Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) doubled to plate Stoehr.
Nielson would be hit home with junior Marcena Bertoldo (Beaumont, Calif.) singling to the outfield but Bertoldo tripped rounding first and was thrown out to end the inning at 4-2.
The Spartans attempted to take back control in the top of the fifth. After a lead off strike out, Alex Emeterio reached on a walk and on to second following a wild pitch. Sirois got on base from another error placing runners on the corners.
Merkt then singled loading the bases for Greensboro with one out. Vercoe scored another hit and a RBI with a single that hit off of pitcher Katie Murphree (Tallahassee, Fla.). Marshall ended the inning with a pop out and ground out to first.
Murphree continued to sit down Spartan batters in the sixth and seventh as she struck four straight giving Marshall a win.
Six different batters record a hit for the Herd while UNC Greensbor's Vercoe and Jewett each finished with two hits apiece.
Marshall will finish up play Friday with an 11:00 a.m. EST game against Stanton's first head coaching job, IUPUI. Stanton led the Jaguars in 1999 to its only winning season.
