Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
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UTEP
@HerdSB Sweeps Doubleheader in C-USA Opener
3/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall softball won both games of a doubleheader over the UTEP Miners Saturday at Dot Hicks Field. The Herd improved to 11-8 overall, 2-0 C-USA with the wins. The Miners fall to 9-15 and 0-2 in conference.
Game 1: Marshall 10, UTEP 1 (5 innings)
The Herd started the opening game quickly as freshman Briana Daiss (Clermont, Fla.) hit a single to score junior Morgan Zerkle (Milton, W.Va.) in the first inning. UTEP was able to tie the game at 1 in the third inning on a Linda Garcia solo home run to center field.
"It's important to get that fast start," Herd Coach Shonda Stanton said. "We have three kids that could leadoff between (Morgan) Zerkle, KG (Kaelynn Greene) and Elicia (D'Orazio) and when those three are successful we can be very productive."
The Herd used its speed in the third to take back the lead. Sophomore Elicia D'Orazio (Clermont, Fla.) and Zerkle executed a double steal successfully and D'Orazio scored on a throwing error by the catcher. After senior Kaelynn Greene (Eastvale, Calif.) singled on a bunt down the first base line and stole second, Daiss drove in both Zerkle and Greene with a single to center field, giving the Herd a 4-1 lead after three innings.
Junior pitcher Jordan Dixon (Edmond, Okla.) came up strong in the game with 10 strikeouts, giving her 650 for her career. In the top of the fourth, Dixon got the final out of the inning with a strikeout as bases were loaded.
"Dixon was excellent again with 10 K's in only five innings," Coach Stanton said of her junior. "That is great production from the circle."
Marshall exploded for six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, sending ten batters to the plate. D'Orazio led off the inning with a single, then promptly stole second and third before scoring on another throwing error by the catcher. Greene singled and grabbed another stolen base to get into scoring position at second. Daiss then cranked a 2-run home run to center field to increase the lead to six. For Daiss it was her team leading sixth homer of the season.
The Herd wasn't done after the home run in the fourth. Senior Raquel Escareno (Wellington, Colo.) reached base safely on an error with two outs. Next, freshman Samantha Loose (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) out ran an infield single to put two runner on base. Sophomore Jordan Colliflower (Huntington, W.Va.) was inserted to run for Escareno at second. Freshman Ali Burdette (Buffalo, W.Va.) stepped up and sent a shot into right field that scored Colliflower. With the score at 8-1, senior Katalin Lucas (Agua Dulce, Calif.) then roped a pitch down the left field line that brought in both Loose and Burdette. Marshall led 10-1.
Dixon and the defense came in and shut down the Miners in the top of the fifth to grab the run-rule win.
Briana Daiss was named as the Dot Hicks Significant Sticker Award winner for game one after going 3-for-3 at the plate with five RBI and her sixth home run of the year.
Game 2: Marshall 5, UTEP 1
Game two started as a pitching and defensive battle. Marshall got two runners on in the first and one in the third but didn't punch any runs across the plate. The Miners put one on in the second, two on in the third and scored first in the fourth. Freshman Ali Burdette got the start in the circle and pitched three and two-thirds innings before being relieved by junior Jordan Dixon. Dixon came into the game with bases loaded and got the final out with a fly ball to right, trailing 1-0.
The Herd answered in the bottom of the fourth as senior Raquel Escareno hit a double down the left field line that scored sophomore Jordan Colliflower who came in to run for sophomore Taylor McCord (Gilbert, Ariz.) after a base hit to left-center.
In the fifth inning UTEP loaded the bases but Dixon and the defense came through once again. With one out and the bases juiced, the batter hit a ground ball toward second base that was fielded along the ground by freshman Samantha Loose who quickly threw home to get the lead runner and prevent the run from scoring. Dixon then struck out the next batter to end the inning and for the second straight time the Miners left three on base.
Marshall scored four more runs off of four hits to take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. With bases loaded freshman Briana Daiss was walked that scored sophomore Elicia D'Orazio from third. Next, McCord lifted a high fly ball to deep right field that allowed junior Morgan Zerkle to score from third on the sacrifice fly. The final two runs came from a single to right field that brought both senior Kaelynn Greene and Daiss home. The Herd had the lead 5-1.
"With Daiss I was very pleased to see her growth in game two," Coach Stanton said. "She had another five RBI game and in game two when she came up and bases were loaded, it's easy to get greedy and want to be the hero. But, she took the bases loaded walk and that shows the maturity as a hitter and the depth of the hitter she is."
For the final two innings Dixon and the Herd defense shut down the Miners allowing only one base runner.
"Our kids came out today and played it one pitch at a time and really competed," Coach Stanton said. "I'm really proud of the way they performed today."
Raquel Escareno was named the Dot Hicks Significance Sticker Award winner from game two going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and five putouts on defense.
"Rocky has really stepped up with her senior leadership and producing in the middle of the lineup for us," Coach Stanton said.
Marshall will finish the series with UTEP Sunday with first pitch set for 12 p.m.
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