Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Marshall @ Maryland Eastern Shore
@HerdSB Splits Day One at the Camel Stampede
3/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score (Appalachian State)
Game 2 Box Score (UMES)
Coach Stanton Postgame Video
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Marshall softball splits day one of the Camel Stampede dropping game one 4-3 to Appalachian State and winning the nightcap 11-0 in five innings over Maryland Eastern-Shore. Herd is now 7-7 this season.
Game 1: Appalachian State 4, Marshall 3
Junior pitcher Jordan Dixon (Edmond, Okla.) struck out 14, but the offense could not get the bats going as Marshall took the loss 4-3 to Appalachian State (3-13). For Dixon it was the 16th time she struck out more than 10 and the fourth time with 14 or more strikeouts in her career. She also moved ahead of Cristy Waring (1995-98) for third place all-time now with 626.
"We were really disappointed in game one," Herd Coach Shonda Stanton said. "We just didn't compete the way we should have and the way that we had seen this team compete at the BAMA Bash."
Marshall started the scoring in the second inning taking advantage of three errors by the Mountaineers. Senior Katalin Lucas (Agua Dulce, Calif.) reached second after a dropped fly ball in left field. Next, freshman Cheyenne Meyer (Port Republic, N.J.) reached first on a dropped fly ball to right field and Lucas came in to score. Sophomore Jordan Colliflower (Huntington, W.Va.) came in to run at first for Meyer and stole second and third to get into scoring position. Two batters later Colliflower came in to score off of an infield error and that gave the Herd the lead at 2-0.
Appalachian State came back in the top of the fifth inning scoring four runs off of four hits and two Herd errors.
With a two-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth, senior Raquel Escareno (Wellington, Colo.) belted a home run to left field to cut the lead to one. For Escareno it was her first home run of the season and the 14th of her career.
Marshall buckled down on the defensive side as Dixon struck out two more batters in the sixth and seventh and the infield grabbed a 6-4 double play to end the sixth. Sophomore shortsop Elicia D'Orazio (Clermont, Fla.) caught a line drive and tossed to sophomore second baseman Madi Marshall (St. Albans, W.Va.) covering second to double up the runner.
The Herd had a chance in the seventh with two outs and two runners on but just could not punch it across.
Game 2: Marshall 11, UMES 0 - 5 innings
The bats came out on fire in the nightcap against Maryland Eastern-Shore (4-6) with 13 hits and 11 runs. The Herd scored three in the first, three in the second and five more in the third.
"We were very proud of the way this team responded in game two," Coach Stanton said.
Marshall got it started right from the beginning in the top of the first on the defensive side. Freshman Ali Burdette (Buffalo, W.Va.) got the start in the circle and retired the side in order with a strikeout to end the frame.
Then the Herd bats got going from the leadoff on down. Junior Morgan Zerkle (Milton, W.Va.) reached first with a bunt single and then proceeded to steal second and third. As the throw got away from the shortstop covering third, Zerkle took off for home to get the first run on the board. Senior Kaelynn Greene still at the plate put down a bunt single, and then stole second and third. Once Greene reached third she recorded her 100th career stolen base. She is the fifth player in Herd history to hit the century mark in thefts.
"We do pride ourselves on our base running," Coach Stanton said. "Twice when the ball trickled away from the defender Zerkle and KG (Greene) took off for home. And when you have your two players at the top with four stolen bases in the first and five hits in the game that really makes a difference."
Greene would come in to score on a passed ball that rolled away from the catcher to give Marshall the lead 2-0. Two batters later Briana Daiss ripped a triple off the wall, her second of the season and ninth extra base hit, put another runner at third for the Herd. Sophomore Taylor McCord (Gilbert, Ariz.) lined one in to left field deep enough for Daiss to tag up and score. Marshall led 3-0 after the first inning.
Marshall put the pressure on again in the second as freshman Samantha Loose (Anaheim Hills, Calif.), Zerkle and Greene all crossed the plate.
In the top of third, McCord picked off a runner at second base continuing her great year behind the plate.
Marshall extended the lead to 11 in the third inning. Katalin Lucas got the inning started with a bloop single into shallow right field and then scored when Raquel Escareno sent her second home run of the day over the right center field wall. Burdette then helped her own cause with a single to right center field. She was followed by Loose who drilled a pitch to the left center gap scoring Burdette from first. Zerkle came up next and hit a single to right field that scored Loose. Zerkle scored two batters later on a sac fly to left field by D'Orazio.
"Rocky really was a bright spot today especially in game one," Coach Stanton said of her senior. "She did a great job with her opportunities at the plate today. We couldn't be more proud of her growth and commitment. We are really excited with what we are seeing out of her as a senior leader."
Ali Burdette was selected as the Dot Hicks Significance Sticker Award winner pitching all five innings for the win with two strikeouts and going 2-2 at the plate with a run scored.
"Burdette gave us a great start and really fields her position well," Coach Stanton stated about her freshman. "She really hit the ball hard and did some great things for us today."
Marshall will continue the weekend in the Camel Stampede Saturday afternoon first with a matchup against Loyola-Chicago at 3 p.m. and then a second contest with Maryland Eastern-Shore scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Fans can tune into the games live on 88.1 WMUL-FM and online www.marshall.edu/wmul.
