Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
North Texas
@HerdSB Splits the Double Header with North Texas
3/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Coach Stanton Postgame Video
DENTON, Texas - Marshall softball splits in day one of the double header with North Texas. The Herd took game one, 4-1, and fell in game two, 7-1. Marshall is now 15-10 and 4-1 in Conference USA. North Texas improves to 15-10 after game two and 1-4 in conference play.
Game 1: Marshall 4, North Texas 1
Junior Jordan Dixon (Edmond, Okla.) earned her 64th career victory behind 10 strikeouts and no walks in helping to lead the Herd to the win in game one.
"Once again Dixon was outstanding," Herd Coach Shonda Stanton said. "Every time she takes the field we know we have a shot at winning the ball game. We got just enough offense with Greene going 4-for-4 and McCord came up big as well and those two had six of our 10 hits."
Marshall got the scoring started early with two runs in the top of the first. Sophomore Elicia D'Orazio (Clermont, Fla.) reached first base safely on an error by the shortstop after a 12-pitch at-bat. Senior Kaelynn Greene (Eastvale, Calif.) came up next and dropped an infield single to put two runners on for the Herd. Two batters later sophomore Taylor McCord (Gilbert, Ariz.) ripped a pitch into right field that scored D'Orazio from second. Greene advanced to third and then scored on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by senior Raquel Escareno (Wellington, Colo.).
Dixon kept working through the Mean Green batters recording two strikeouts in each the first, second, third and fifth innings. North Texas got a runner on base in the first and second but could reach no further than second.
The Herd held the 2-0 lead until scoring a third run in the fourth. Senior Katalin Lucas (Agua Dulce, Calif.) got on from an infield single and then advanced to third from a single to left by freshman Samantha Loose (Anaheim Hills, Calif.). Lucas scored when the left fielder overthrew the infielder and the ball rolled away by first base.
Marshall scored its final run in the fifth inning as D'Orazio stole home as Marshall had runners in the corners with Greene at first. Greene was thrown out after a long run down between first and second.
"It was a pretty well-played game," Coach Stanton said. "We played well defensively and had great pitching and we really had all three phases of the game working the way we needed in game one."
Jordan Dixon was named the Dot Hicks Significance Sticker Award winner after allowing just one run in the seventh and scattering five hits. For Dixon it was her 19th career game with 10 or more strikeouts and the fifth this season. She now has 674 career strikeouts and is just one win away from tying Cristy Waring (1995-98) and Andi Williamson (20011-13) for most ever in Herd history at 65.
Game 2: North Texas 7, Marshall 1
Marshall struggled in game two at the plate and on defense as North Texas jumped out to an early lead and continued to score throughout the game to win its first conference game of the season, 7-1.
"We really didn't have the quality at-bats in game two," Coach Stanton said. "We knew going in that we were going to have to have quality at-bats and out hit them because they are a good offensive team."
Freshman Ali Burdette (Buffalo, W.Va.) got the start in the circle for Marshall and North Texas attacked early and often. The Mean Green scored two runs in the first and then one run in third and again in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.
The Herd only managed two hits in the first four innings. Sophomore Taylor McCord hit a two-out double to left center field and then senior Raquel Escareno followed up with a walk to put two runners on for Marshall. The Herd offense could not get the timely hit and stranded both runners on base.
Senior Brittanie Fowler (Avon, Ohio) entered the game in the fifth inning in the circle for Marshall. North Texas scored three more runs in what turned out to be a rough inning for the Herd defensively with three walks, one hit batter and two errors.
However, with a chance to end the game with the run-rule win in the fifth leading 7-0, the Marshall defense tightened up and made the plays to get out of the inning. Two straight outs at third on a 6-5 fielder's choice with sophomore Elicia D'Orazio tossing to senior Katalin Lucas at third to retire the lead runner. Then after a walk to load the bases, McCord picked off the runner at third to get Marshall out of the jam.
"Late in the game we finally saw some more favorable counts," Coach Stanton said. "Lucas did a nice job barreling up two balls and she had some good offense for us and it was great to see Colliflower come through with the RBI."
The Herd led off the sixth inning with both D'Orazio and senior Kaelynn Greene recording back-to-back singles once again Marshall could not get the timely hit and stranded both runners.
The defense held again in the bottom of the sixth to keep the score at 7-0 at allow the offense another chance at the plate. Lucas led off the top of the seventh with a line drive double to the wall in left center. Two batters later Lucas advanced to third on a ground out. Lucas was 60 feet away from being the first Herd run with two outs. Sophomore Jordan Colliflower (Huntington, W.Va.) stepped up and put down a grounder up the middle just passed the pitcher allowing Lucas to cross the plate. Marshall looked to have a two-out rally started but could not push across any more runs.
Marshall and North Texas will finish the series Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern.
