Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Mississippi State
Herd Drops Two to Bulldogs
3/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 29, 2014
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Marshall softball (10-22) dropped two games in shut-out fashion to Southeastern Conference school Mississippi State (27-10) in its first meeting.
One inning of offensive dominance resulted in Marshall's first loss of the day (4-0), while two, one-run innings handed the Herd its second defeat (2-0).
Marshall's freshman Jordan Dixon (Edmond, Okla.) started both games in the circle and struck out 15 batters in 10.0 innings.
The Herd will play one last game against the Bulldogs Sunday at 1 p.m., before heading back to Huntington, W.Va. for a midweek doubleheader against Radford.
Mississippi State 4, Marshall 0
After an inning and a half of no action, Dixon was the first hurler to surrender a hit. In the bottom of the second, a one-out single evolved into a throwing error and allowed a hit-by-pitch runner, who reached base prior to the hit, to cross the plate.
Mississippi State followed with three consecutive hits - a two-run homer, single and an RBI-double - to break open the ball game and take a 4-0 lead.
On two outs, junior Kristina Braxton (Woodbridge, Va.) recorded Marshall's first hit of the game with a single into right field. The speedy duo of sophomore Kaelynn Greene (Eastvale, Calif.) and freshman Morgan Zerkle (Milton, W.Va.) followed with slap singles to load the bases, but the Herd was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
Neither team was able to connect or score through the rest of the game. Mississippi State earned the shutout victory after four and a half scoreless and hitless innings, 4-0.
Dixon (7-13) suffered the loss, but fanned eight Bulldogs. Marshall was outhit by Mississippi State 4-to-3, while both teams committed one error in the game.
Mississippi State 2, Marshall 0
The Herd's second game of the day started with a different pace. Greene and Zerkle started it off with back-to-back singles in the first, but the Bulldogs were able to string together three outs to end the inning.
Mississippi State capitalized on a lead-off error. The runner scored on a one-out RBI double to take a 1-0 lead before Marshall could retire the side.
The Bulldogs notched another run onto the board with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the second inning to push further ahead of the Herd, 2-0.
The game went through four and a half scoreless innings to give Mississippi State its second shutout victory of the day with a 2-0 win over Marshall.
Dixon (7-14) was credited with the loss, while striking out seven Bulldogs. Both teams connected for four hits. Marshall had two errors, while Mississippi State committed no mistakes.
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
