Marshall University Athletics
Baseball Faces First Ranked Competition of 2015
2/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game Notes HUNTINGTON, W.Va.- Marshall baseball (2-1) will face its first ranked opponent of the season as the Herd travels to Starkville, Miss., to face Alabama A&M (1-3) and No. 14 Mississippi State (4-0) Feb. 20-22.
All games will be played at legendary Dudy Noble Field at Polk-DeMent Stadium in Starkville, but times are tentative due to impending weather in the area. Marshall's Friday game with MSU will be its first of three televised contests. The game will be shown on SEC Network+ as well as ESPN 3. Check local listings.
Both games with Mississippi State can also be listened live audio, but charges apply. Live stats will be available for all games, and fans can also follow along via the @HerdBaseball Twitter account.
GAME 1: Marshall vs. Alabama A&M, 1:05 (ET), Friday, Feb. 20
Live Stats
GAME 2: Marshall at No. 14 Mississippi State, 5:05 (ET) (SEC Network) Friday, Feb. 20
Live Stats | Audio Stream | Online Stream
GAME 3: Marshall at No. 14 Mississippi State, approximately 5:00 (ET) Saturday, Feb. 21
Live Stats | Audio Stream
GAME 4: Marshall vs. Alabama A&M, Noon (ET) Sunday, Feb. 22
Live Stats
HAVE YOU HERD?
The Herd set a new school record in its 24-2 demolishing of Florida A&M on Feb. 14, pounding out 31 hits in the contest. It was the third-most hits in Conference USA history, and the most since 2004. 10 different Marshall players celebrated a multi-hit game, and several career and Herd firsts were recorded.
Senior Sergio Leon (Miami) is off to his best start in a Herd uniform, shelling out an 8-for-12 Opening Weekend performance, scoring three times and collecting three RBI and three stolen bases. The shortstop is tied for first on the squad with a .667 batting average.
THE MOUND MAKEUP
G1: Junior Heston Van Fleet (Kingsville, Texas) (RHP) will make his Marshall debut against A&M's Josh Burchell (RHP) (0.00 ERA, 2 app., 1 IP, 1 BB)
G2: Senior Matt Margaritonda (Freehold, N.J.) (RHP) vs. Jesse McCord (RHP)
(3.00 ERA, 1 GS, 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 6 K, 1 BB) (27.00 ERA, 1 GS, 1.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 K, 3 BB)
G3: Junior Chase Boster (Stafford, Va.) vs. Preston Brown (RHP)
(0.0 (0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 1-0, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 7 K, 1 BB) (3.60 ERA, 1 GS, 1-0, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 7 K, 1 BB)
G4: TBA vs. Ryan Ahrens (RHP) (7.71 ERA, 1 GS, 1-0, 4.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 7 K, 1 BB)
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS OF ALABAMA A&M
First year coach Mitch Hill earned his first win with the Bulldogs in a 14-4 win over IPFW on Opening Weekend. A&M has a team batting average of .280 and team ERA of 10.46, and are led offensively by senior outfielder Brandyn Crutcher (.750 BA, 6 H,6 R, 3 2b, 1 3b, 5 RBI).
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS OF MISSISSIPPI STATE
No. 14 MSU posted a 39-24 record in 2014 and was picked to finish fifth In the SEC West. Powerhouse first baseman Wes Rea returns for his senior season, recording a .375 average in three games thus far, including one homerun and seven RBI. MSU has a team batting average of .343 and an ERA of 3.75 through its first four games of 2015.
UP NEXT
The Herd will make its final non-conference weekend road trip of the season, traveling to Winston-Salem, N.C. for two games against Towson and two against Wake Forest beginning Feb. 27- March 1.
