Marshall University Athletics
@HerdBaseball Splits Day
2/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Marshall baseball split a pair of games Saturday, defeating Towson in a comeback 7-6 victory before falling to Wake Forest by another close 6-5 score in Winston-Salem, N.C., at Wake Forest Baseball Park.
The Herd is now 4-6, while Towson is 0-6 and Wake Forest improved to 6-4.
Sophomore Corey Bird (Pinch, W.Va.) had another productive day at the plate, turning in 3-for-5 and 2-for-4 performances, respectively. Bird hit a leadoff double in each contest, and scored two runs with a stolen base in the nightcap against WF.
Junior Ryne Dean (Fresno, Calif.) collected his first Herd homer during the Wake Forest game and scored a pair of runs while freshman Austin Norman (Fairmont, W.Va.) provided clutch hits in both contests, recording three RBI on the day.
GAME 1: Marshall 7, Towson 6
The game began grimly for the Herd, as the Tigers plated five runs in the bottom of the first on six hits and two errors to gain the early advantage.
Towson added insurance in the second inning, scoring another run off a walk, passed ball, and single.
Marshall began to chip away at the lead in the 4th, when senior Andrew Dundon (Lincoln Park, N.J.) boarded on a walk. Classmate TJ Diffenderfer (Mount Juliet, Tenn.) smacked a ball down the left field line for a double, and then a Tiger error allowed both to advance, giving the Herd its first run of the game.
Senior Josh King (Troup, Ga.) then contributed an RBI single through the right center gap to score Diffenderfer and cut the Towson lead to 6-2.
Marshall struck again in the 8th, when the senior class again struck hot. This time, it was shortstop Sergio Leon (Miami) who boarded on a walk and a Dundon single followed by wild pitch put runners on second and third. Diffenderfer was also walked, to load the bases for King.
King connected on another single, this time through the left side, to send both Leon and Dundon home.
Norman then followed suit of his veteran teammates, smacking a ball up the middle to score Diffenderfer and cut the deficit to 6-5.
The Herd then sealed the deal in the 9th, when straight singles from outfielder Robert Fajardo (Miami) and Bird allowed junior catcher Aaron Bossi (St. Louis, Mo.) to score, who reached on yet another single.
The senior class then responded again when Leon recorded a sacrifice bunt to allow speedy Fajardo to plate the winning run.
GAME 2: Wake Forest 6, Marshall 5
The Herd attacked first, as Bird, who doubled to leadoff the game, scored off a muffed throw by the Demon Deacons' first baseman in the first.
WF responded with three runs in the bottom of the third after a two-out double from utility man Will Craig. Dean replied in the top of the fourth with his deep homerun over the right field wall to put Marshall down by one.
Diffenderfer smashed a ball to the wall in left center for a double in the 5th, and after a Demon Deacon miscue, moved to third.
Dean was then walked, and the Herd took the lead after Norman repeated his earlier performance, cranking another single up the middle to allow both runners to come home.
The lead was short-lived, as Wake Forest regained control with a 6-4 score in the 6th, plating three runs off three singles, a double, and a wild pitch.
Marshall threatened again in the ninth. Bird was walked and scored off a Dundon single to clip the lead down to 6-5 for WF, but the Herd was unable to capitalize on a bases loaded situation and ended the game on a fielder's choice groundout.
UP NEXT
Marshall will conclude its road trip with another matchup against Wake Forest Sunday at Wake Forest Baseball Park at 3 p.m.
