Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Winthrop
Marshall Softball Beats Winthrop in Extra Innings, 2-1
2/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 20, 2011
ATHENS, Ga.- The Marshall University softball team (4-6) tallied a 2-1 victory in the final game of the Georgia Softball Classic on Sunday morning. The Thundering Herd outlasted Winthrop (2-7) on a game-winning run from Melissa Loesing in the eighth.
"Natalee [Pulver] gave us a great start and Andi [Williamson] did her job in relief," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "They are a great combination and I know coach [Chelsey] Barclay was most proud that they did not walk anyone through the eight innings."
Melanie Stoehr hit her 15th career home run to put the first run in the books with a knock that hung over the center field wall, giving Marshall a 1-0 lead in the top of the third.
Winthrop responded in the bottom of the inning with a run of its own after Teja Durante tripled to right and came home after a Thundering Herd error resulted in a dead ball - tying the game at 1-1.
In the bottom of the fifth Marshall called in Andi Williamson for relief of Natalee Pulver, who left the rubber after 4.1 innings of work and four strikeouts. Williamson (4-4) would go down as the pitcher of record, throwing 3.2 innings and striking out eight Eagle batters along the way.
As both teams held each other off the board through seven, the contest would head into international tie-breaker rules, placing Melissa Loesing on second at the top of the eighth inning.
A well-placed bunt by Jessica Hughes moved Loesing into scoring position - Loesing would come home, unearned, on a WU error during the same sequence of plays.
"I was pleased that Hughes executed in this situation and Lolo made a great read on the mishandled bunt to score the go-ahead run," Stanton said.
Winthrop was unable to score a run in the bottom of the eighth as Marshall held on for the one-run victory. Top hitter for the Herd was Hughes, who hit 2-for-3 at the plate.
"Rebecca Gamby made a perfect throw to pick the runner at two and eliminate the scoring threat. This play really helped seal the win," said Stanton.
Natalie Becker received the loss for the Eagles, dropping her to 2-3 on the season.
"We still need to come out with better energy and make better in-game adjustments at the plate," Stanton said. "However, always nice to come off of a win heading into the next weekend."
Next up for Marshall is the Auburn University War Eagle Classic Tournament in Auburn, Ala. from Feb. 25 to 26. The Herd opens with an 11 a.m. (EST) matchup against Georgia Southern.
