Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
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UTEP
Marshall Battles Back from Six Runs Down to Defeat UTEP
3/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 14, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - After hours worth of rain delays and a six run deficit after two innings, Marshall battled back to win its conference opener against UTEP 7-6 Saturday at Dot Hicks Field.
"The great thing about softball is it's not about the last play or pitch, it's all about the next one," head coach Shonda Stanton said. "We were down 6-0 and we battled back and I'm proud of that. It's important that we got our first C-USA win and this is a sign that it will be a battle in this competitive league."
The Thundering Herd (12-7, 1-0) and Miners (13-13, 2-2) were slated to play a double header starting at 1 p.m. EST but due to inclement weather in the area, the game was pushed back to nearly 5 p.m. EST single game.
UTEP came out in the first ready to play after hours of delay as Chelsea Troupe started the game with a walk and Camilla Carrera followed that up with a double to right setting up with runners on second and third.
Stacie Townsend flew out to centerfield and senior Joscelyn Bitner's (Virginia Beach, Va.) throw held up Troupe but after a bad bounce to the backstop she would come in to score and Carrera also came home as a throw toward the plate from sophomore Melanie Stoehr (Tacoma, Wash.) went wide giving the Miners a 2-0 edge.
The inning continued as Ashley Ellis walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jennifer Davis singled to scoring Ellis plating the third and final run of the inning. UTEP continued to extend its lead in the second getting three more runs after 1 ½ innings of play.
Becky Smith started off with a double and Troupe singling to the outfield. With runners on the corners, junior Katie Murphree (Tallahassee, Fla.) was relieved for the Herd by senior Autumn Mitchell (Shady Spring, W.Va.).
Carrera was intentionally walked loading the bases with no outs for Townsend. Mitchell struck out Townsend before Ellis was hit by a pitch scoring one. Davis singled for the second time on the day scoring two more runs placing the Miners in a 6-0 lead.
With their backs against the wall, Marshall responded in the fourth by cutting down the lead to just two runs after a four run/five hit inning in the third. Freshman Melissa Loesing (Grapevine, Texas) started the comeback with a single.
Classmate Alianna Telles (Sylmar, Calif.) continued with a double to left and Bitner got aboard with her second infield single loading the bases with no one out. Junior Caitlyn Jackson (Ontario, Calif.) picked up two RBIs with single that scored Loesing and Telles.
Stoehr hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Bitner to score from third. The fourth run came on a gutsy call after senior Rachael Sofie (Everett, Wash.) singled. With runners on the corners Sofie stole second and as the ball was thrown down Jackson stole home scoring as Sofie reached second safely after no tag.
In the fifth, the Herd took the game back to a tie with two runs when Bitner notched her third hit of the game to start the inning. Jackson singled again and both moved to third and second respectively on the throw from the outfield.
Stoehr earned another RBI as Bitner scored after a single by the catcher as Jackson scored on a fielder's choice tying the game at six after five complete. With momentum on its side, Marshall plated the seventh run in the sixth.
Senior Rachel Schmidt (Alliance, Ohio) entered the game for freshman Rebecca Gamby (Mount Victory, Ohio) at first and came up big in her first at-bat with a double to center. Freshman Samantha Spurlock (Huntington, W.Va.) pinch ran for Schmidt as junior Marcena Bertoldo (Beaumont, Calif.) walked.
With two on and no one out, Telles sacrificed flied out to center moving both runners but on the catch Ellis and Smith slammed into one another allowing Spurlock to score and gave the Herd the lead which it held onto picking up an opening day win in Conference USA.
In relief, Mitchell picked up her fourth win of the year pitching six strong innings striking out six. For UTEP Townsend was credited with the loss with eight K's.
Bitner and Jackson were the only two members from Marshall to pick up multiple hits. Bitner finished with three with two runs while Jackson earned two hits and two RBIs.
Due to the rain out of game two, tomorrow scheduled single game has been changed to a doubleheader starting at 9 a.m. EST.
Live game statistics will be available via Gametracker and on the airwaves of WMUL 88.1 FM and at http://www.marshall.edu/wmul. All of the Herd's home games are also available with live streaming with Herd All-Access.
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