Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
FIU
Late Inning Woes Doom @HerdBaseball at FIU
3/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MIAMI - Late inning woes by the Marshall baseball forced itself to drop game one of the three-game series against the FIU Panthers, 10-5, on Thursday evening at the FIU Baseball Stadium.
With the setback, the Thundering Herd drops to 11-9 overall and 1-3 in Conference USA action. FIU moves to 12-13, 2-2 C-USA. Patrick Murphy (Massillon, Ohio) collected his first loss of his collegiate career and moves to 2-1. FIU's Alex Demchak moves to 3-0.
FIU wasted no time getting on the board with two runs in the bottom of the first. The Panthers hit a two-out double down the right field line that was just out of the reach of Tommy Lane's (Pendleton, Ore.) glove.
Marshall responded in the ensuing inning by getting a run back with a bases loaded walk. The one-run deficit didn't last long, as FIU pushed its lead back to two runs in the following half inning off a wild pitch.
After an inning of scoreless baseball for both sides, Marshall brought the game within one run as Andrew Zban (Huntington, W.Va.) reached on a fielding error by FIU that scored Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.).
The Herd completed the comeback in the fifth inning, with a Lane opposite field home run with one out to tie the game. Marshall took its first lead of the game in the next inning, with a DJ Gee (Seattle) RBI single.
FIU opened up the game in the seventh inning with four runs, which all came from miscues by the Marshall defense. The Panthers tied the game off a wild pitch. In the following at-bat, Kenny Meimerstorf scored from a fielding error by Aaron Bossi (St. Louis). With the bases loaded, Marshall went on to have back-to-back walks.
After the Herd closed the gap in the eighth off a Sam Finfer (Bellevue, Wash.) home run, FIU pushed its lead to its largest of the game in next half inning with three runs.
Starting pitcher Chase Boster (Stafford, Va.) picked up a no decision. The senior right-handed pitcher went five innings, with three earned runs on four hits and six strikeouts.
Leading the way at the plate was Bossi, with three singles in five at-bats. This was the seniors first three-hit game of the season. Gee and Ratliff each had two hits.
The Thundering Herd looks to bounce back on Friday with a 6:30 p.m. start against the Panthers. Senior JD Hammer (2-2) will be the Herd's starting pitcher, while right-handed pitcher Chris Mourelle (3-2) is on the mound for FIU.
---HerdZone.com---
