Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Michigan State
Herd Softball Defeats Michigan State 2-1
2/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 14, 2010
DeLand, Fla.- Katie Murphree pitched the Marshall University softball team (4-0) to a 2-1 win against Michigan State (2-2) on Sunday afternoon.
"This is a great way to start the season," head coach Shonda Stanton said. "Anytime you go undefeated and win a tournament championship you know you are doing some things right."
Marcena Bertoldo broke open the scoring in the third inning with a hummer that skimmed past the left field foul pole. The home run is Bertoldo's fifth career and first this season.
With the momentum running high in the fourth, Jessica Hughes singled to left center. She then stole second and advanced to third on a Samantha Spurlock sacrifice bunt. Jazmine Valle hit a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Hughes and put the Herd up 2-0.
MSU brought in Shelby Wise to relieve Lauren Kramer after the fifth inning. Kramer left the game with five strikeouts in four innings of work.
With two outs in the seventh, the Spartans rallied for one run when Jessica Bracamonte singled to right center, to plate Karen Fox and put the score at 2-1. The comeback was short lived as Melanie Stoehr got the final out of the game on a popup.
Katie Murphree moves to 3-0 on the year with the win. Murphree struck out six Spartan batters in seven innings and allowed just three hits.
"Katie did a tremendous job picking up three wins in three days," said Stanton.
Top hitters for Marshall were Caitlyn Jackson and Stoehr - both went 2-for-3 at the plate. Bertoldo and Hughes were each 1-for-3 with one run scored.
"This weekend was an opportunity to see what we need to improve," said Stanton. "We need to be better next weekend with timely hitting and not surrendering extra outs since competition will be stronger."
MU softball will be back in action on Feb. 19 when they play East Carolina at 9 a.m. in Gainesville, Fla.
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