Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Long Island
Both Jordans Shine in Two @HerdSB Wins
2/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box (Hofstra)
Game 2 Box (LIU)
Coach Stanton Postgame Video
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Marshall softball used strong performances from both junior pitcher Jordan Dixon (Edmond, Okla.) and sophomore outfielder Jordan Colliflower (Huntington, W.Va.) in two wins at the Four Points by Sheraton Invitational hosted by Florida Gulf Coast University. Marshall (5-1) defeated Hofstra 9-1 in six innings and LIU-Brooklyn 4-2.
Game 1: Marshall 9, Hofstra 1 - 6 Innings
Marshall provided plenty of run support but junior ace Jordan Dixon was in complete control allowing one hit and only three total base runners.
The Herd got the offense going early against the Pride (5-3) scoring twice in the bottom of the first. Junior Morgan Zerkle (Milton, W.Va.) led off with a double to left center and then senior Kaelynn Greene (Eastvale, Calif.) immediately followed up with an infield single. With speed at first and third Head Coach Shonda Stanton went for the double steal. Greene took second, and as the throw went through, Zerkle took home. Greene later scored on a sac-fly to left field by freshman Briana Daiss (Clermont, Fla.).
"We came out of the gate so strong," Herd coach Shonda Stanton said. "To get the run-rule victory over Hofstra is big, they are a great team and they have that reputation through the years of being a NCAA tournament caliber program. I was really pleased with our kids."
Marshall built the lead out to five in the third. The Herd offense loaded the bases with singles from sophomore Madi Marshall (St. Albans, W.Va.), Zerkle and sophomore Elicia D'Orazio (Clermont, Fla.) reached on a fielder's choice. After Zerkle reached first, Marshall was at third and Zerkle stole second for the 100th of her career. Zerkle is the fourth player at Marshall to reach the century mark in stolen bases.
Once the bases were loaded Daiss came to the plate and blasted a shot to deep center field to the warning track. The Herd's speed was too much as all three base runners crossed the plate.
Daiss came through once again in the fifth with a solo home run to left field, her third of the season, and gave her five RBI in the contest. Her second five RBI game of her young career after driving in five at Troy.
Hofstra scored one in the fifth but Marshall put the game away with three more runs in the sixth. The bases were loaded once again with Greene at the plate. Greene was walked scoring freshman Samantha Loose (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) from third. With the bases still loaded, D'Orazio poked a shot through the infield and into center scoring both sophomore Jordan Colliflower (Huntington, W.Va.) and Marshall to end the game with run-rule victory.
"Dixon was just incredible," Coach Stanton said of her ace. "She was lights out. She set the tone and had the no-hitter going there into the fifth inning. She was just tremendous."
Dixon was named the Dot Hicks Significance Sticker Award winner as the hurler went six innings, one hit, one run and five strikeouts against Hofstra. She retired 17 of the 20 batters she faced and retired the side in order four times in six innings. It was the third win of the season for Dixon giving her 56 for her career. Her five strikeouts gives her 31 for the season and 584 for her career.
Game 2: Marshall 4, LIU-Brooklyn 2
Marshall started off slowly in game two against LIU and it took until the third inning for the Herd to record its first hit, a single to left by Jordan Colliflower, but then the bats came alive.
"We struggled in the beginning but the team showed a lot of grit," Coach Stanton said after the win. "I was pleased that we stuck to the process and it wasn't pretty at times and Colliflower came in and was absolutely huge."
The Herd finished the game with 11 hits overall. The scoring finally got going in the third with three runs coming all on a two out rally. Morgan Zerkle, Kaelynn Greene and Elicia D'Orazio all crossed the plate to give Marshall a 3-0 lead.
The Blackbirds scored two runs in the fourth inning to drop the lead to one. The Herd tacked on another run in the fifth as the offense was sparked by a leadoff triple to right center field by Colliflower. The sophomore slapper took advantage of a defensive shift that brought the infielders in close and the outfielders playing shallow. Colliflower ripped a ground ball up the middle that got passed both the center and right fielders and rolled all the way to the wall. It was the first triple of Colliflower's collegiate career.
Colliflower was later out at home on a fielder's choice that allowed Zerkle to be safe at first. Two batters later D'Orazio drove in Zerkle with a single to center.
LIU threatened in every inning but the fifth and the seventh. The Blackbirds left a total of nine runners on base.
Senior Brittanie Fowler (Avon, Ohio) got the start and pitched 3 1/3 innings. Freshman Ali Burdette came in for the final two outs of the fourth. Dixon secured her fourth win of the year pitching the final three innings and striking out five and allowing only one base runner and no hits.
Jordan Colliflower was named the Dot Hicks Significance Sticker Award winner for the win going 3-3 at the plate and the triple.
Marshall will conclude its journey to Fort Myers, Fla. Sunday morning against the Saint Louis Billikens. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. and you can tune into the game live on 88.1 WMUL-FM and online www.marshall.edu/wmul.
