Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Liberty
@HerdBaseball Slips Saturday against Liberty
2/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score (PDF)
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Marshal baseball squandered its third-straight game Saturday evening with a 7-3 loss to the Liberty Flames at the Pelicans Ballpark in the 17th annual 'Baseball at the Beach'.
The Thundering Herd falls to 1-5, while Liberty moves to 5-2.
The Flames jumped out to and early lead on Marshall with two runs in the first inning. After Liberty got the first three batters on base with no outs, Andrew Yacyk singled to right field for two RBIs. Marshall's starting pitcher, Parker Danciu (Palm Beach, Fla.) bounced back after giving up the two-run single, as he forced a 4-6-3 double play and a groundout to second to get out of the inning.
Marshall cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third with a single to right field. DJ Gee (Seattle, Wash.) led off with hit to the shortstop, who mishandled it for an error. Gee went on to steal second to set himself up in scoring position. Only one batter later, Tommy Lane (Pendleton, Ore.) drove in Gee with a knock to right field.
The Herd tied the contest at two in the fourth inning with a Sam Finfer (Bellevue, Wash.) single to right field that scored Leo Valenti (Olympia, Wash.) from second. Valenti was walked and then stole second.
Liberty was quick in breaking the tie, as it added four runs in the top of the fifth off four hits, including two doubles to left field.
The Thundering Herd had its chance for a big inning in the seventh, as it got its first three batters on base, including a double by Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.). With the bases loaded, Aaron Bossi (St. Louis, Mo.) hit a sac-fly to left field to cut Marshall's deficit to three runs. After the run, the Herd was held in check and left two runners on base.
The Flames clinched its four-run win in the top of the eighth when Marshall surrendered a wild pitch with a runner on third.
Danciu picked up its first loss of the season after going 5.2 innings with six earned runs on eight hits. Carson Herndon of Liberty collected the win with 3.1 relief innings of work with one earned run on four hits.
Leading the way at the plate for the Herd was Lane with two hits and one RBI. Following Lane was Finfer and Boss, who each had one hit and one RBI.
Making relief appearances on the mound was Heston Van Fleet (Kingsville, Texas), Joshua Shapiro (Columbus, Ohio) and Burris Warner (Auburndale, Fla.). Van Fleet went two strong innings with only one run on two hits. Warner tossed the ninth inning for the Herd and had two strikeouts with no hits allowed.
Up next, Marshall makes its first homestand of the season on Saturday, March 5 in a doubleheader against Liberty. First pitch in game one is set for noon.
