Marshall University Athletics
Softball Opens Season at South Florida
2/9/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 9, 2011
Game Notes
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.- The Marshall University softball team will begin its 2011 campaign when it travels to Clearwater, Fla. for the weekend to compete in the South Florida Wilson-DeMarini Tournament. First pitch of the season is scheduled for a 4 p.m. start time on Friday against tournament-host South Florida.
After construction on the South Florida softball complex was not yet completed, tournament officials moved the location to the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. For fans traveling to watch the herd, on Friday Marshall will face USF at 4 p.m. on field eight, followed by playing Florida at 6 p.m. on field nine. Saturday sees the Herd play Florida Gulf Coast at 12:30 p.m. on field eight and a night cap at 5 p.m. against Long Island on field nine. MU will close out the tournament on Sunday at 9 a.m. against NC State on field eight.
The Thundering Herd finished the 2010 campaign with an overall record of 24-30-1 and 3-20-1 in Conference USA play. Despite last season's finish, MU returns a well-experienced roster with six starters and 14 letterwinners from a year ago. Head coach Shonda Stanton's club returns a starter to every position except one and only lost three starters to graduation - two were starting pitchers Katie Murphree and Caitlyn Jackson.
Marshall's depth in the circle has improved with additions of transfers Erika Bennett and Andi Williamson and freshman Natalee Pulver. With a bullpen that goes five deep, rotations should be easier and more competitive on the Herd lineup.
Jazmine Valle was named to the Preseason All-Conference USA Team last month, as the sophomore finished her first tour leading the team in batting average (.338), RBI (40) and slugging percentage (.601).
Tournament Breakdown
South Florida
Went 24-29 overall last season, finishing 9-13 for a seventh-place ranking in the Big East. Returns four starters and three pitchers from last season's squad while bringing in nine newcomers. At the plate look for top returner Gina Kafalas to lead the way, the junior finished last season with a .323 batting average, 41 hits and 22 runs scored. Sophomore Lindsey Richardson paces the pitchers, finishing 2010 with a team-best 1.83 ERA, while going 12-8 in 130.0 innings pitched.
No. 5 Florida
Preseason ranked No. 5 Gators finished the 2010 season with an overall record of 49-10, concluding the year with a national finish of fifth. They lost two-of-three games in the Women's College World Series to be eliminated. UF returns six position starters and two starting pitchers - top hitter Michelle Moultrie led the team with a .389 batting average and 72 hits. At the plate, the Gators ranked nationally in the top ten in batting average (.331), scoring (7.34/game), home runs (1.85/game), doubles (1.61/game) and slugging percentage (.627). Senior Stephanie Brombacher is the top pitcher, going 35-8 in 226.1 innings pitched with a 2.01 ERA.
Florida Gulf Coast
Finished 24-28 overall and 12-8 (third) in the Atlantic Sun last year. Club lost four starters, but returns all three starting pitchers. Top returning field player is Courtney Platt, a senior outfielder who tallied a .311 batting average, 12 doubles, nine home runs and 31 RBI. In the bullpen, seniors Catherine McDaniel and Kelci Breaux will front the bulk of the work. McDaniel was 10-13 with a 3.06 ERA in 160.1 innings pitched; Breaux finished 2010 with a 9-9 record in 125.0 innings of work and a 3.14 ERA.
Long Island
Marshall's second NCAA-qualifier opponent of the tournament finished 2010 with a 39-18 overall record and first in the Northeast Conference with a record of 17-3. Went 2-2 in the Amherst Regional, dropping a pair of games to Arizona State to be eliminated in the opening round. The Blackbirds lost five starters from last year's team, but return its offensive powerhouse Bianca Mejia, who led the team with a .392 batting average, 49 runs, 20 doubles, 12 home runs and a .731 slugging percentage. The loss of starting pitcher Blaire Porter, who went 29-9 last year, will put Sarah Reynolds and Megan Sheaf in the front running for starts in the circle. Reynolds had a team-best 1.51 ERA last season (65.0 ip), while Sheaf was second on the team in starts with 13.
North Carolina State
Went 28-27 last year and 9-12 (fifth) in the ACC. The Wolfpack returns its top hitter, Landon Warren, who hit at a .319 clip and registered a team-best 32 runs, 53 hits, and eight doubles. NC State is under a transition in the circle, as junior Morgan Peeler is the only returner from 2010. Peeler was 3-5 in 16 appearances and 55.2 innings pitched.
GameTracker will be available for all Marshall softball game's throughout the season. To follow the Herd, go to the softball schedule page for up-to-date information.
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