Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Coastal Carolina
@HerdBaseball Falls Short to Liberty and Coastal Carolina
2/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Marshall vs. Liberty Box Score | Marshall at Coastal Carolina Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. - Marshall came up short on Friday at Springs Brooks Stadium, as it fell to Liberty in a heartbreaker during the afternoon, 9-8, and then dropped to No. 19 Coastal Carolina, 9-3, in the night cap.
The Thundering Herd falls to 1-4 this season. Liberty and Coastal Carolina moved to 3-2 and 3-1, respectively.
Juniors Tommy Lane (Pendleton, Ore.) and Leo Valenti (Olympia, Wash.) led the way for the Herd Friday, as each posted a .500 batting average. Lane went 5-10 with two doubles and three RBIs, while Valenti was 3-6 with one home run and two RBIs. Following up behind was DJ Gee (Seattle, Wash.), who was 4-9 from the plate with two doubles and three RBIs. Aaron Bossi (St. Louis, Mo.) finished with a .375 batting average with three hits and one RBI.
Starting on the mound for Marshall was seniors Chase Boster (Stafford, Va.) and JD Hammer (Fort Collins, Colo.). Boster went five innings with five strike outs and four earned runs, while Hammer went 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts and four earned runs. Hammer started off strong against the 19th-ranked Chanticleers, as he allowed only one run on two hits through the first four innings.
GAME ONE: Liberty 9, Marshall 8
Marshall fell in a hole early on as Liberty put three runs on the board in the second inning. With two outs, the Flames had a RBI single, and then was followed by a two-run homer by Andrew Kowalo.
The Herd went on to respond quickly in the next two innings. In the top half of the third, Marshall got two off a double by Lane to score Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.) and Sam Finfer (Bellevue, Wash.). In the fourth, Valenti picked up his first hit for Marshall with a homer to left field to tie the game at three. Two batters later, Gee doubled down the left field line to score Corey Bird (Elkview, W.Va.).
The lead wouldn't last long though, as the Flames homered in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at four.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Marshall broke the four-all tie in the seventh with a single from Bird to center field that scored Cory Garrastazu (Miami). Liberty went on to respond in the following half inning with four runs off one hit and two errors.
Down by three in the top of the eighth, the Herd found a way to respond through small ball. Bossi drove in the first run with a single through the left side to score Finfer. In the next at-bat, Ryne Dean (Fresno, Calif.) walked with the bases loaded as Lane came around to score. Valenti tied the game at eight with a sac-fly to center field to score Garrastazu.
Liberty found a way again to break the tie in the bottom of the eighth, as Will Shepherd scored on a wild pitch by Caleb Ross (Barboursville, W.Va.).
In the top of the ninth, Marshall threatened as it was able to get a runner on third with two outs, but was unsuccessful.
Ross earned the loss for Marshall, while Shane Quarterley picked up the win for Liberty. Joshua Shapiro Columbus, Ohio) and Heston Van Fleet (Kingsville, Texas) each made relief appearances for the Herd.
GAME TWO: No. 19 Coastal Carolina 9, Marshall 3
The Thundering Herd struck first against the Chanticleers in the top of the third. After Bird was walked and a throwing error by the pitcher that moved him to third, Gee hit the ball to first on a check swing that scored Bird. In the fourth, Gee added another RBI to his day with a sac-fly to the shortstop to score Bossi.
The bats of Coastal Carolina began to heat up in the fourth, as Zach Remillard had a solo home run to left field. The Chanticleers went to have back-to-back three-run innings to pull away from the Herd in the fifth and the sixth innings.
Marshall was able to get a run back in the seventh, when Lane singled to left field to score Gee from second.
Coastal went on to score two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings to clinch the six-run victory for the 19th-ranked team in the nation.
Hammer picked up the loss for the Herd, while Mike Morrison was credited with the win for Coastal Carolina. Sam Hunter (Ashland, Ky.), Patrick Murphy (Massillon, Ohio) and Fernando Guerrero (Elizabeth, N.J.) all saw time in relief.
COACH'S CORNER
Quote from Head coach Jeff Waggoner
On the team's outlook so far this weekendââ'¬Â¦
"We aren't playing very good baseball right now, but the guys are battling. The starters did a good job so far this weekend to keep us in the games. We have to create big innings and stop big innings from happening. The bright spot was the offense had a good day, but we have to play better defense."
UP NEXT
Marshall closes out 'Baseball at the Beach' Saturday against Liberty at TicketReturn.com Field in Myrtle Beach, S.C. at 4 p.m.
