Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UCF
Marshall Softball Drops Two Games at UCF Friday
4/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 10, 2009
Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Marshall University softball team led early in game one but lost in the final innings to UCF 7-3 and fell in a pitcher's duel in game two 3-0.
The Thundering Herd (21-12, 7-4) lead twice during game one including a 3-1 edge going into the bottom of the fourth before the Knights (21-21, 6-8) had a three run inning before tacking on three more in the sixth.
Game two saw UCF take an early 1-0 lead in the first shutting down Marshall for the entire game and adding two runs for comfort in the sixth again picking up the doubleheader sweep Friday.
"You have to give UCF credit; they played some great games today and we played poor," head coach Shonda Stanton said. "We committed five errors in two games and we didn't hit the ball and had poor quality at-bats. This was one of the most disappointing days in my tenure career at Marshall.
"I think the one thing we got to do is bounce back and got to continue to stay in present positive process, know what we're fighting for and get better as a team. We need to regroup to be better tomorrow."
The two teams will finish up the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. EST. Gametracker will be available for game three.
GAME ONE
Marshall once again jumped out to an early lead as they plated one run in the top of the first as freshman Alianna Telles (Sylmar, Calif.) started off with a double to left center. Senior Joscelyn Bitner (Virginia Beach, Va.) earned her 10th sacrifice hit moving Telles to third.
After junior Caitlyn Jackson (Ontario, Calif.) walked, sophomore Melanie Stoehr (Tacoma, Wash.) hit a sacrifice fly to shallow center allowing Telles to score for the game's first run.
In the bottom of the third, UCF got on the board getting its first run of the game after Abby McClain singled followed by a single from Tiffany Lane as McClain would be thrown out by Bitner from center trying to take third.
As Lane advanced to second on the throw, she came home to score on another single this time coming from Breanne Javier. After a fourth straight single from Hilary Barrow, junior Katie Murphree (Tallahassee, Fla.) was removed for senior Autumn Mitchell (Shady Spring, W.Va.) to enter in relief.
The Herd captured the lead back in the fourth as freshman Rebecca Gamby (Mount Victory, Ohio) led things off with a double and would be pinch ran for by freshman Samantha Spurlock (Huntington, W.Va.).
Junior Marcena Bertoldo (Beaumont, Calif.) advanced Spurlock to third on a sacrifice bunt before senior Rachael Sofie (Everett, Wash.) singled to the right side scoring run two. Senior Kelly Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) reached on an error by the second baseman putting two on with one out.
After that the Knights elected to substitute its starter Megon Paul for Ashleigh Cole. Marshall would attempt to move the runners as Sofie was thrown out taking third but Nielson reached safely to second.
Senior Rachel Schmidt (Alliance, Ohio) entered the game in a pinch hitting role and coming through with a double to shallow left allowing Nielson to come on home giving the team a two run cushion through three and a half innings.
In the bottom half, the Knights took the lead with a three run inning. The lead would back to one after Natalie Land laid down a bunt single and stole second before Lane hit a 0-2 pitch to the outfield scoring Land.
Barrow then came to the plate clearing a shot to left scoring Lane from second to tie the game with both runners advancing on the throw home. After hitting Vanessa Perez, Mitchell threw a wild pitch allowing the go ahead run to score.
UCF went on to add to its lead in the bottom of the sixth with a runner advancing on a passed ball by Gamby and two more on a single by Cole going up for good on the Herd for the win 7-3.
GAME TWO
Game two picked up where the first end with the Knights putting up the first run in the bottom half of the first starting off with as McClain walked which was followed by a bunt single by Lane.
Javier then used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners. Jackson and Marshall elected to intentionally walk Barrow which Perez came up with a single with the bases loaded but Lane would be thrown out trying to take home.
In the second, the Herd had its first chance with one out after Gamby and Bertoldo were hit by pitches as Sofie hit a blooper to center but wasn't caught and ruled a fielder's choice giving the Knights the chance to throw out freshman Melissa Loesing (Grapevine, Texas) who was pinch running for Gamby. Nielson then grounded out to end the inning.
The game continued to be a pitcher's duel as UCF's Kristina DeMello carried a no-hitter into the sixth but with two outs, Bitner dropped down an infield single before Jackson hit a foul fly to end the inning.
Just as in game one, the Knights used a sixth inning to extend its lead over Marshall by scoring two runs. Morgan Bullard started the inning with a single and Land reached on a throwing error.
Following a McClain sacrifice bunt, Lane would be intentionally walked before Javier reached on a fielder's choice scoring the first run. The second came across when as Telles misplayed a ball short putting the game at 3-0 as UCF put away the Herd in the seventh.
