Marshall University Athletics
@HerdBaseball Readies for Weekend in Hattiesburg
4/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Game Notes
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- After a win against in-state rival West Virginia in front of perhaps its biggest home crowd in history on Tuesday, Marshall baseball (16-27, 8-13 C-USA) will look to maintain the momentum when the Herd travels to Hattiesburg, Miss., to face league foe Southern Miss (25-16-1, 10-10 C-USA) in a critical three-game series beginning Friday, May 1 at Pete Taylor Park.
Marshall avoided the sweep with the Golden Eagles a year ago, winning the second contest of a doubleheader 5-3 in the finale of the series.Â
Game 1: Friday, May 1, 6 p.m. (ET)
Game 2: Saturday, May 2, 3 p.m. (ET)
Game 3: Sunday, May 3, Noon (ET)
Webstream Link ($): Friday -- Saturday -- Sunday
Live Stats: -- --
Fans can follow the @HerdBaseball Twitter account for in-game updates.
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HAVE YOU HERD?
After dropping a heartbreaking contest to WVU earlier in April, the Herd rebounded sharply, taking a 3-2 victory at Appalachian Power Park on Tuesday. Starter Josh King (Troup, Ga.) made his second consecutive weekday start after taking the hill against the Mountaineers the previous week.
King hurled 5 and 2/3 innings, fanning six and walking just two, as he earned his first win of the season.
Prior to that win, Marshall took its third consecutive series win after winning two of three games against first-place Middle Tennessee last weekend. The series loss was the first one the Blue Raiders have suffered since losing to then No.14 Rice. The Herd has only won three straight league series one other time, in 2010 when Herd beat UAB and Southern Miss in two of three, and swept UCF. The last time MU allowed just three runs in a conference series was in 1991 in a three-game sweep of VMI. The previous low in a C-USA series was seven by UAB in 2011 (UAB won 2-of-3).
In its past five games, the Herd has held opponents to just seven runs. The last time Marshall pitching had held opponents to such a small amount of runs, it was five runs in seven games during the 1981 season.
Marshall's sophomore backstop Matt Reed (Purcellville, Va.) leads the conference with 17 runners caught stealing, and is fifth in the nation with a .486 caught stealing percentage.
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THE MOUND MAKEUP
G1: Herd junior Chase Boster, RHP (1.78 ERA, 5-0) vs. Southern Miss junior Cody Carroll, RHP (3.73 ERA, 2-4)
G2: Herd junior JD Hammer, RHP (4.01 ERA, 1-4) vs. Southern Miss freshman Kirk McCarty, LHP (3.11 ERA, 3-1)
G3: Herd junior Michael Taylor, RHP (3.06, 2-4) vs. Southern Miss senior James McMahon (2.05 ERA, 8-1)
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SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Southern Miss is coming off a grueling 17-inning 7-6 victory against South Alabama Wednesday night. The Golden Eagles are led by freshman utility man Taylor Braley, who posts a .344 clip with 22 RBI. Senior designated hitter Matt Durst leads the squad with 24 RBI and 50 hits, and junior Tim Lynch leads the long ball category with eight. The Golden Eagles carry a team ERA of 3.20.
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UP NEXT
Marshall will host C-USA newcomer Western Kentucky in a three-game matchup beginning Friday, May 8 at Appalachian Power Park.
