Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Samford
Baseball Drops Season Opener to Samford, 9-4
2/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2010
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Kenny Socorro laced three hits and Isaac Ballou launched his first collegiate home run, but Samford scored at least one run in the second through seventh innings as the Marshall University baseball team dropped the season opener, 9-4, Friday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Socorro finished the night 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI as Marshall (0-1) lost the season opener for the first time in three years. Victor Gomez chipped in with a pair of singles, while his younger brother Nathan Gomez lined a RBI base hit for the MU offense.
Samford (1-0) starter Jonathan Stephens (1-0) kept the Herd bats in check for most of the evening as the right hander worked 6.0 innings allowing just one earned run on six hits with two strikeouts to earn the win.
Ian Kadish (0-1), making his first start for the Thundering Herd since the 2008 season, tossed 4.0 innings, surrendering five earned runs on six hits with a pair of punch outs.
After retiring the first five batters of the game, Kadish allowed four-straight Bulldogs to reach base in the bottom half of the second. After a SU check-swing single and a walk, Michael Johnson slapped a single through the right side to plate the first run of the contest. On the ensuing play, an overthrow by a Herd outfielder allowed another runner to cross the plate. Brad Moss followed up with a double into the left-centerfield gap pushing the Bulldogs advantage to 3-0.
The Herd answered back in the top half of the third frame, when Ballou made his first collegiate hit a memorable one. The leadoff hitter launched a solo shot to straight away centerfield, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
SU tacked on a run in the third through fifth innings to hold a 6-1 cushion.
Josh Valle and V. Gomez lined consecutive singles to start the sixth, but Stephens held the Herd bats at bay the rest of the frame to get out of the jam.
A two-run blast to right-center by Stephen Ballard in the sixth and a RBI double by Trey Hayes upped the score to 9-1.
MU managed to cross home plate three times in the top of the ninth thanks to a RBI single from N. Gomez and two-run double from Socorro, but the Herd still fell by a 9-4 score.
The Herd will look to avenge the loss tomorrow with a doubleheader against the Bulldogs. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. EST.
