Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
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UTEP
@HerdSB Splits Saturday vs Miners
4/25/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
EL PASO, TEXAS -- Marshall softball (32-12, 11-7 Conference USA), split the series Saturday against UTEP (14-33, 9-11 C-USA).
Marshall won game one 3-1, while UTEP took game two 10-5. Marshall's Morgan Zerkle collected her 82nd hit of the season, which is a new single season individual record, while Jordan Dixon became the second pitcher in Marshall history to win 30 games in a year.
GAME ONE
Play went scoreless until the fourth inning, when junior Shaelynn Braxton smacked an RBI single that scored freshman Elicia D'Orazio. Senior Kristina Braxton then came on to pinch hit, hitting a ball that the UTEP shortstop could not field cleanly, bringing Shaelynn Braxton home on the error.
In the fifth, it was Shaelynn Braxton again that brought home the run, with a double to center field that scored junior Kaelynn Greene to make it 3-0 Herd. Braxton joined Rachel Folden as the only Marshall players with two seasons with more than 50 RBI.
 UTEP would add a run late, but it was not enough as Marshall would hold on to the 3-1 win.
Marshall sophomore pitcher won her 30th game of the season, becoming the second Herd pitcher with 30 or more wins in a season (Andi Williamson had 33 in 2013). Dixon allowed just one run and tossed nine strikeouts.
GAME TWO
Marshall started strong in the top of the first. D'Orazio would double up the middle to score Zerkle. Next, Greene was able to advance home on a wild pitch from UTEP's Taylor Grohmann. Shaelynn Braxton then hit a sacrifice fly to center field, which was deep enough to score D'Orazio, who tagged up from third.
In the second, Zerkle earned a base hit on a bunt single, which was her 82nd hit of the season, passing Greene for most hits in a season by a Marshall player.
UTEP would hit a home run in the second to make the score 3-2 and then add another run to tie the game at three.
In the fourth. Senior Emileigh Cooper went yard with a solo home run to left center, her third of the season. Marshall added a fifth run when Greene sent a single through the left side, which scored the speedy Zerkle easily from second base.
From there, though, UTEP would add another seven runs (two in the fifth and five in the sixth).
STANTON'S STATEMENTS
Link to Head Coach Shonda Stanton's postgame.
LET'S GET SOCIAL
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Marshall and UTEP will close out the series Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be available on Marshall's student radio station, WMUL-FM.
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