Marshall University Athletics
Softball to open Conference Play against UTEP
3/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 13, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University softball team will start off its 2009 conference schedule as UTEP come to town for a three-game series starting Saturday March 14 at 1:00 p.m.
The Thundering Herd (11-7) and Miners (13-12) will meet for the eleventh time Saturday as Marshall leads the series 6-4 overall. This weekend marks UTEP's second trip to Huntington as they took one game out of three back in 2007.
This weekend is the first of Conference USA play for the Herd while UTEP started out last weekend taking two out of three games against Memphis.
The Miners last trip to Huntington back in 2007 started out rough as the Marshall took the first game 2-1 and the second half of the doubleheader 8-1. UTEP came back Sunday taking the third game 10-1.
UTEP comes into Huntington this weekend leading most categories in hitting in Conference USA. They have the best team average, hits, runs, doubles, home runs and RBIs. The Miners also lead with slugging percentage and on-base percentages.
Chelsea Troupe and Camilla Carrera sit atop the conference in batting average hitting .456 and .440 respectively. Troupe current leads the conference in home runs (8), RBIs (26), hits (36) among other categories. On the flip side, UTEP sits in the bottom half of the league in most pitching categories but do happen to sit second overall in strikeouts.
Last season, Marshall walked into Helen of Troy Stadium in El Paso taking two out of three including a comeback win in game three as senior Kelly Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) hit a grand slam in the sixth taking the 7-4 decision.
Marshall opened up its home schedule last weekend going 4-1 as a part of the Marshall Softball Tournament. In the home opener against Canisius, freshman Alianna Telles (Sylmar, Calif.) hit a grand slam plated four RBIs in a 2-for-3 game. In the Sunday finale, Telles homered against Delaware giving her three on the year.
Senior Autumn Mitchell (Shady Spring, W.Va.) picked up two wins this past weekend. In her two games Mitchell only allowed one run, which was not earned. She had 10 innings of work along with a complete game win against Buffalo. She allowed only two walks with nine K's on the weekend.
Saturday starts with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. EST and a single game Sunday at 12:00 p.m. EST. For all of Marshall home softball games there will be live gametracker along with radio broadcast from WMUL 88.1 FM. Their broadcast can also be heard online at http://www.marshall.edu/wmul.
All of the Herd's contests will be available via video streaming for members of Herd All-Access. Along with the live video there will be audio from WMUL's broadcast. For more information please visit http://www.herdzone.com/.
