Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
UCF
Thundering Herd Hit to 9-6 Win over Knights
4/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 11, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Marshall University softball team bounced back Saturday with a 9-6 win against UCF in the third game of a Conference USA series in Orlando.
The Thundering Herd (22-12, 8-4) fell behind early before taking a 5-1 lead in the fourth but the Knights (21-22, 6-9) battled back in the bottom half to tie before Marshall took control of the game In the sixth with three more runs. UCF plated one run in the seventh before the door shut for a 9-6 victory.
"Today was huge for us especially after yesterday to refocus," head coach Shonda Stanton. "They (UCF) scored first; we battled back. Then we get a big lead and then they battle back and tie it and then we fought again by ripping it open and finishing."
In the bottom of the first, the Knights used some small ball tactics to push across the first run after Abby McClain doubled and advanced to third on Tiffany Lane's sacrifice. McClain came home on a single from Breanna Javier.
The game would become tied however on the first batter in the second as freshman Rebecca Gamby (Mount Victory, Ohio) hit her team leading sixth home run of the season.
Going into the fourth, still tied, junior Caitlyn Jackson (Ontario, Calif.) singled up the middle resulting in UCF removing starter Ashleigh Cole for Kristina DeMello, who threw yesterday's one hitter. Jackson advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Melanie Stoehr (Tacoma, Wash.).
Gamby returned to the plate blasting a double to right field scoring Jackson for the team's first lead of the day. Sophomore Jessica Hughes (Stillwater, Okla.) entered the contest to run for Gamby and stole third.
After junior Marcena Bertoldo (Beaumont, Calif.) was hit by a pitch, Hughes was picked off allowing Bertoldo to steal second. Senior Rachael Sofie (Everett, Wash.) continued the inning as a hard hit ball got by Natalie Land scoring Bertoldo.
Sofie advanced on a wild pitch which was followed up by senior Kelly Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) hammered a ball to left center off a palm tree putting the game at 5-1. UCF battled back however in the bottom half of the inning tying the game.
Mary Helen Tyler started off with a single to right center before Cole hit into a double play with Stoehr catching a line drive and throwing back to first where Bertoldo was covering the bag. The W continued as Morgan Bullard was struck by a pitch.
Land then singled to the left side before the Herd removed starter junior Katie Murphree (Tallahassee, Fla.) for senior Autumn Mitchell (Shady Spring, W.Va.). With two on and two outs, Mitchell hit the next batter loading the bases for Lane who hit a triple to right field clearing the bases.
Down one, Javier singled for the second time to right field tying the game. Mitchell was then replaced by Jackson after the tying run.
After a scoreless inning in the fifth, Marshall used the sixth as its opportunity to take control of the game with two outs just as the Knights did in the fourth. Sofie started the rally with a single to the left side and Nielson was hit by a pitch.
Senior Rachel Schmidt (Alliance, Ohio) stepped up again in a clutch situation as a pinch hitter singling to left after both hitting moved into scoring position because of a wild pitch. Freshman Alianna Telles (Sylmar, Calif.) earned the third run of the inning on a single but was caught going to second.
With time running out, the Knights attempted a comeback scoring one run but would not be enough as Jackson picked up her fifth win on the season.
In the contest, Marshall hit a season high 13 hits as senior Joscelyn Bitner (Virginia Beach, Va.) earned three and Jackson and Gamby with two apiece. The team also finished with no strikeouts; a season first.
"I'm proud of our girls to be challenged and hit some obstacles and overcoming them," Stanton added. "It's a great way to head home. We didn't give up and that was the difference today."
With the completion of the series, the Herd will return home for a midweek series against former MAC rival Miami (OH) Tuesday starting at 2 p.m. EST. Gametracker will be available along with live radio broadcast from WMUL 88.1 FM and at http://www.marshall.edu/wmul. Herd All-Access will also be offering live streaming with audio from WMUL.
