Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Memphis
Softball Splits at Memphis
4/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A combined effort from pitchers Caitlyn Jackson and Katie Murphree led the Marshall University softball team to a 4-2 victory in the second game of a doubleheader at Memphis on Friday night. The Thundering Herd (17-17, 3-8 C-USA) fell to the Tigers 5-4 in game one for the split.
"Even though we have an inexperienced group we have to find a way to win a one-run ball game," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "Tomorrow is a big step in finding a way to take a series."
Memphis (18-13, 5-5 C-USA) opened game one with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first, as a Vanessa Walle double to left center would plate Leigh Rowan, unearned, and give the Tigers a one run advantage.
Rebecca Gamby would lead off with a double in the top of the second and Melanie Stoehr would follow with a single down the right field line to push pinch-runner Ashley Gue to third. Victoria Marvin then reached first after being hit by a pitch to give Marshall bases loaded with one out.
The Herd then took a 2-1 lead after Marcena Bertoldo and Samantha Spurlock were walked back-to-back to push around Gue and Stoehr.
Stoehr would come back in the third to threaten the Tigers with a homer to right field to give MU a 3-1 lead. The long ball is her third of the year and her first in conference play.
Memphis would answer in the fourth with three runs, to teeter-totter the score for a 4-3 Tiger lead. Jessica Phillips brought home Rowan and Keanah Prestridge on a single through the left side. Lelani Bernardino's bunt would bring in Alex Marshall for the fourth run.
A Jazmine Valle single up the middle in the fifth would equalize the score at 4-4 as Alianna Telles would cross the plate on the hit.
Marshall would call in Caitlyn Jackson in relief for Katie Murphree, who left the game after 4.0 innings of work and three strikeouts. Jackson would take the eventual loss, moving to a 3-8 record after pitching 2.1 innings.
The Tigers would escape with the win in the bottom of the seventh after Kailey Kassner singled through the left side to plate Rowan.
Carly Hummel went the distance to record the win for Memphis, moving her to 9-6 overall and 2-3 in C-USA.
Stoehr finished the game as the top hitter for MU, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI.
In game two, MU jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first frame after Jackson scored, unearned, in a Gamby at-bat and Valle came home, unearned, on a sacrifice bunt from Stoehr.
"I like what I saw offensively," Stanton said. "Gamby and Melanie did a great job of hitting the ball hard and getting the ball in play."
Memphis would put up one run in the bottom of the inning when Maddie McKinley came home on a wild pitch.
Unfazed, The Herd would stretch its lead to 3-1 in the second as Bertoldo scored, unearned, in a Jackson at-bat. MU would tally its fourth run in the third inning, to make it 4-1, after a double down the right field line from Stoehr plated Spurlock.
Stoehr went 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBI while Telles chipped in to go 2-for-4 at the dish.
"In game two we did a good job of capitalizing on their mistakes and getting a lead and holding on to win," said Stanton.
In the bottom of the fifth, McKinley would post a run off a Shanna Brown double to close the MU lead at 4-2.
MU would bring in Murphree to get the final two outs of the inning, as Jackson (4-8) would come out after 4.1 innings in the circle and three strikeouts. Jackson picked up the win as Murphree recorded her second save of the season after 2.2 innings of work.
Walle (7-5) took the loss for Memphis after 2.0 innings pitched. Lauren Carley finished the game for the Tigers, logging the final 5.0 innings in the circle.
Marshall held on 4-2, to record the split Friday afternoon at Tiger Softball Complex. The Herd will look to take the series with a 1 p.m. (EST) contest on Saturday.
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