Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Eastern Kentucky
Bossi, Garrastazu Leads @HerdBaseball Past EKU, 5-4
3/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A two-run home in the sixth inning sparked a Marshall baseball come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels on Tuesday at the Kennedy Center Field on Route 2.
With the victory, the Herd improves to 11-8 and has won its last seven out of 10 games. The Colonels drop to 10-11.
Eastern Kentucky struck first with a run in the top of the first inning. After back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners, Luke Wurzelbacher hit a sac-fly to center field to score the runner from third.
The Colonels' lead wouldn't last long as Marshall found a way to put one run across the plate in the ensuing half inning. Corey Bird (Elkview, W.Va.) led off with a single to the shortstop and later advanced to second on a DJ Gee (Seattle) groundout. Two batters later, senior Aaron Bossi (St. Louis) doubled to left field to score Bird.
Marshall went on to break the tie in the third inning with a Bossi single to center field that scored Gee from second with one out.
In the top of the fourth and bases loaded, Cory Garrastazu (Miami) prevented Eastern Kentucky to opening up the game as he leaped and robbed the Colonels of a grand slam. EKU did tag up at third to tie the game at two runs, apiece.
EKU broke the tie in the following inning with a lead-off home run in the fifth inning. The Colonels added some cushion in the sixth with another home run, but this time to right field.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Bossi led off by reaching on an error by the third baseman. In the following at-bat, Garrastazu hit a blast to right field for a two-run home run.
The clutch hitting of Andrew Zban (Huntington, W.Va.) came to play in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Herd. Zban, who had the game-winning hit against Brown in the 17th inning, singled through the right side that scored Bossi from second to give Marshall a one-run lead.
Marshall closed the game in the ninth as it called upon Burris Warner (Auburndale, Fla.) for his fourth save of the season.
Sam Hunter (Ashland, Ky.) (2-0) earned the win by pitching one inning relief with three strikeouts. Nick Cumpston (2-2) of EKU picked up the loss.
"Today was a good team win for us," Herd coach Jeff Waggoner said. "It helps us build confidence going into an important three-game series at FIU. We had some big hits today by Cory Garrastazu and Andrew Zban. Also, Joshua Shapiro did a good job keeping us in the game and giving us a chance to win the game, which allowed our bullpen to come in and shut the door to pick up the victory."
Starting on the mound for Marshall was Joshua Shapiro (Columbus, Ohio). The freshman went five innings, with two strikeouts and three runs allowed. In relief was Caleb Ross (Barboursville, W.Va.), Heston Van Fleet (Kingsville, Texas), Hunter and Warner. Ross and Van Fleet combined for two innings and three strikeouts.
Leading the way at the plate for the Herd was Bird, Bossi and Zban with two hits each. Garrastazu, Rey Pastrana (Miami) and Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.) each had one.
Up Next, Marshall travels to Miami for a three-game series against the FIU Panthers. First game is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
