Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
George Mason
Homers Help Herd Split Sunday
3/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats | Final Stats, Game 2
Game 1 Box Score PDF | Game 2 Box Score PDF
THOMASVILLE, N.C. - Marshall baseball (6-8) wrapped up its nonconference weekends splitting a Sunday doubleheader with George Mason (4-7) in Thomasville, N.C., at Finch Field. The Herd dropped the morning contest 6-4, but rebounded in the rubbermatch to take a 9-6 win and the series.
In game one, freshman Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.) led the offensive force, knocking his first collegiate homerun and hitting a double in a 2-for-4 day. Senior Sergio Leon (Miami) also went 2-for-4 and sophomore Billy Sager (Kenova, W.Va.) also recorded a two RBI double in the loss.
In the nightcap, senior TJ Diffenderfer (Mount Juliet, Tenn.) had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a walk and RBI. The first baseman launched his third long ball of the season during the matchup. Freshman Corey Bird (Pinch, W.Va.) and senior Josh King (Troup, Ga.) also recorded two hits in the game, with King connecting for his second career homer. Senior Andrew Dundon (Lincoln Park, N.J.) crossed the plate three times in the victory.
Senior reliever Clint Wilson (Austin, Texas) collected his second save of the weekend, and starter Michael Taylor (St. Albans, W.Va.) tossed three, fanning five.
Marshall now has a team total of 11 homeruns, surpassing its season total from the last two years.
Game 1: George Mason 6, Marshall 4
The Patriots took the lead right away in game one, scoring in the first inning off two singles, a hit-by-pitch, and fielder's choice.
The Herd then took the lead the following at-bat. Freshman Chad Roberts (Wilmington, Ohio) walked to give Marshall its first baserunner of the game. He came around to score after Leon singled him to second and Ratliff doubled him home for the equalizer. The very next batter, Sager gave the Herd the lead.
The advantage was short-lived, as a leadoff double, two walks, a passed ball, and homerun brought five runs across for George Mason.
Ratliff homered in the seventh to cut the deficit to two, but Marshall was unable to chip away at the lead anymore and fell 6-4.
Game 2: Marshall 9, George Mason 6
Marshall and Mason both scored one run in the second inning, and the contest became a game of cat-and-mouse as the Herd scored two in the third and the Patriots plated two in the fourth to keep the tie.
Marshall followed up with a run in the fifth, but the lead was again cut short as George Mason scored twice in the bottom of that inning and then took the lead with a run in the sixth.
The Herd responded with four runs in the seventh, and kept control of the game, adding an insurance run in the eighth to seal the 9-6 victory.
MU got its first run thanks to a Bird single that scored junior DJ Gee (Seattle), and went up 3-1 after Diffenderfer smacked his longball with Dundon on board. King then hit his homer to give Marshall back the lead at 4-3, and scored again after a Dundon double and GM error in the seventh.
The Herd scored three more times that frame, when pinch-hitter Ryne Dean (Fresno, Calif.) used just two pitches to hit a single up the middle and score Dundon. After Leon was walked, junior Robert Fajardo (Miami) ripped a single to the left field gap to score both Leon and Dean and put Marshall up for the final time in the game.
Diffenderfer's sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Dundon for the third time in the game to add the final piece of insurance.
Caleb Ross (Barboursville, W.Va.) and Kolin Stanley (Beloit, Ohio) each tossed over an inning of scoreless relief.
DIAMOND DIALOGUE
Quotes from Herd players
TJ Diffenderfer, Sr., 1B
"I just felt really comfortable today, and was able to get pitches and make them count. It was a great weekend and it helped us get ready to start conference next weekend."
UP NEXT
Marshall will open up both home and conference play, with its first midweek matchup against Akron at Route 2 in Huntington, W.Va., on Tuesday, March 10, before heading to Beckley, W.Va., for league for UTSA next weekend.
