Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Long Island
@HerdSB Splits on Day One at FGCU Tournament
2/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box (LIU)
Game 2 Box (SIU)
Coach Stanton Post game video
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Marshall softball gets a split in the first day of action at the Four Points by Sheraton Invitational hosted by Florida Gulf Coast University. The Herd won its first game 10-2 in six innings over LIU-Brooklyn and lost 8-6 to Southern Illinois.
Game 1: Marshall 10, LIU-Brooklyn 2 - 6 Innings
Marshall received great production up and down the lineup as the Herd combined for a season high 15 hits. Junior Morgan Zerkle (Milton, W.Va.) and senior Kaelynn Greene (Eastvale, Calif.) recorded six of Marshall's hits in the top two spots.
"Game one was a little tighter initially then what we would have liked but then we really broke it open," Herd coach Shonda Stanton said. "Zerkle and Greene were just unbelievable at the top of the lineup each with three hits. When you are getting that type of production at the top of your lineup, you are going to score some runs.
"Offensively we were seeing good things out of everyone. Our pinch hitters came in and did their job so we are seeing so many great things so I was really pleased with their effort in game one."
Zerkle as the leadoff finished 3-4 at the plate with a run, a triple and two RBI. Greene was 3-3 with a runs scored and a stolen base, the 91st of her career.
Marshall got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Katalin Lucas (Agua Dulce, Calif.) was hit by a pitch and then reached second base when freshman Ali Burdette (Buffalo, W.Va.) reached safely on an error by the shortstop. Next, sophomore Madi Marshall (St. Albans, W.Va.) loaded the bases with a bunt single. Senior Alyssa Woodrum (West Hamlin, W.Va.) stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter and sent a shot into right field scoring Lucas from third and Burdette was thrown out at the plate. Sophomore Jordan Colliflower (Huntington, W.Va.) re-entered to run for Woodrum and then Zerkle dopped one into right field as well scoring both Marshall and Colliflower.
LIU (3-4) answered with a run in the top of the third and the fourth to make it a one-run ball game. The Herd exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to build the lead seven, 9-2.
Zerkle started the inning with a first pitch triple to right center, the seventh of her career tied for second all-time in program history. Greene followed up with a base hit and then stole second. Sophomore Elicia D'Orazio (Clermont, Fla.) grounded out to second, but still got the RBI as Zerkle scored from third. Daiss hit a single to left field that scored Greene. Sophomore Taylor McCord (Gilbert, Ariz.) kept the inning going with a base hit and the senior Raquel Escareno (Wellington, Colo.) hit a two-out single to right that plated Daiss for the third run of the inning.
Freshman Hayden Ellis (Ashville, Ohio) stepped up next as a pinch hitter and recorded her first career hit with a double to center the drove in two more runs.
The Herd tacked on the final run in the bottom of the sixth as Madi Marshall sent a deep fly ball to left that hit just off the top of the fence allowing Lucas to score from second and giving the Herd the run-rule victory 10-2.
Burdette started the game in the circle and got the victory going three innings and allowing two runs with one strikeout. Junior pitcher Jordan Dixon (Edmond, Okla.) entered the game in the fourth and helped to shut down the Blackbirds for the final three innings with five more strikeouts.
Morgan Zerkle was named the Dot Hicks Significant Sticker winner for the victory with her three hits and the triple that sparked the explosive fifth inning.
Game 2: Southern Illinois 8, Marshall 6
The Marshall scored two in the first and four in the seventh but unfortunately it was not enough for the win in game two of the double header.
"Offensively we didn't adjust early," Coach Stanton said after the game. "Then we get into the seventh inning and this group, they just continue to fight. What I want them to see is that they need to believe it sooner."
The Herd got started quickly with four straight base hits with Morgan Zerkle and Katalin Lucas both scoring, but then offense was shut down for the next five innings. Marshall recorded only one hit in innings two through six.
Southern Illinois (5-2) took advantage of some defensive miscues and some well-placed, timely hits to tie the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning and then take the lead in the fifth. Dixon started the game and struck out nine batters through five innings and took the loss.
The Herd stepped up in the top of the seventh trailing 8-2 and put together a valiant effort to back in the ball game. Alyssa Woodrum led off the inning with a walk and freshman Summer Collins (Logan, W.Va.) came to run at first base. Freshman Cheyenne Meyer (Port Republic, N.J.) came to plate to pinch hit and recorded her first career hit to right field and putting two runners on base. Jordan Colliflower entered the game to run at first putting speed on the bases. Madi Marshall was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Elicia D'Orazio. The reigning Conference USA Freshman of the Year blasted a pitch down the left field line that scored both Collins and Colliflower, cutting the lead to 8-4. Zerkle followed D'Orazio's hit with a double down the left field line scoring Marshall and D'Orazio, suddenly the Herd was down by two.
Zerkle would eventually reach third base but SIU closed off the victory retiring the next three batters.
Marshall gets back on the field Saturday morning, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. against Hofstra. You can tune in to www.marshall.edu/wmul for all of the coverage throughout the weekend of Marshall softball.
