Marshall University Athletics
Baseball To Host No. 21 Kent State, Tuesday
3/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 9, 2009
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University baseball team will collide with No. 21 Kent State, Tuesday, March 10 at 3:00 p.m. ET at George T. Smailes Field at The Kennedy Center on Route 2 in Huntington. Admission is free.
Marshall (4-5) enters Tuesday's contest fresh off a 9-6 win over USF in the series finale at Red McEwen Field in Tampa, Fla. The Thundering Herd, trailing 6-1 to start the seventh, used a sophomore catcher Kevin Shackelford two-run homer, and four-run ninth inning, to highlight the come-from-behind win. Marshall also received a solo homer from senior outfielder Nate Lape in the fourth inning, while junior reliever Austin Coan earned his first collegiate victory after tossing three shutout innings of relief.
The offensive highlight of the weekend was the hot hitting of sophomore outfielder Ben Jurevicius. Jurevicius finished the series 7-for-12 (.583) and now leads the team in overall batting average with a .438 mark. That average also ties him for fourth in Conference USA. Jurevicius blasted four hits in Saturday's contest against USF and has now extended his hitting streak to nine games, while senior shortstop Adam Yeager has hit safely in eight straight games for the Herd.
Sophomore catcher Kevin Shackelford came through in a big way for the Herd in Sunday's win over the Bulls when he launched his first collegiate-career home run. Shackelford has a .333 overall batting average and leads the team in RBIs with 10.
Senior outfielder Nate Lape also broke out of the home run drought as he hit his first homer since smashing two on opening weekend.
Kent State began the season 6-0 but has lost two of its last three and now has a No. 21 ranking according to the latest Baseball America top 25 poll.
The Golden Flashes come to Marshall with an overall record of 47-19, and took a 4-1 decision over the Herd in the most recent meeting between the teams in 2008. Jason Patton leads the KSU offense with a .438 hitting clip (14-for-32), with a double, three homers, nine runs batted in and a trio of stolen bases and leads the team in slugging percentage (.750) and runs scored (12). Greg Rohan has a .385 batting average and leads the team in hits (15) and RBIs (11), and has also contributed a double, a triple and three long balls on the season.
Marshall and Morehead State will conclude the season series, Wednesday. The Eagles travel to Bloomington, Ind. for a Tuesday tilt with the U of I Hoosiers before returning home to host the Herd.
The teams will complete its suspended game from March 4 (game tied 4-4 after 12 innings) and will then wrap-up series action following that game. Morehead State leads the all-time series 67-57-3.
