Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Eastern Kentucky
@HerdBaseball Blanks Eastern Kentucky, 6-0
4/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats | Box Score (PDF) | Updated Season Stats
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall baseball (19-15) held the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (17-20) scoreless with a 6-0 decision on Tuesday at the Kennedy Center Field on Route 2.
The Thundering Herd wasted no time to get on the board as it pushed across five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Ryne Dean (Fresno, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field with the bases loaded to score Corey Bird (Elkview, W.Va.). In the ensuing at-bat, Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, Va.) hit a ground-rule double to right field that allowed Gee to score, while put Tommy Lane (Pendleton, Ore.) at third. Sam Finfer (Bellevue, Wash.) cleared the bases in the next at-bat with a deep three-run home run to right field.
After the offensive outburst in the first, the game became a pitcher's duel between the pitching staffs of Marshall and Eastern Kentucky. Each staff went five straight scoreless innings.
Marshall tacked on a run in the seventh inning off a failed picked off attempt at first on Finfer. The Colonels' pitcher overthrew his first baseman, which allowed Finfer to scamper home.
Freshman starter Wade Martin (Portsmouth, Ohio) went a strong three innings with three strikeouts. Fellow classmate Patrick Murphy (Massillon, Ohio) tossed three innings and moves to 4-2 with the win. Seniors Caleb Ross (Barboursville, W.Va.) and Heston Van Fleet (Kingsville, Texas) closed out the final three innings.
"Wade has been really good out of our bullpen," head coach Jeff Waggoner said. "He's can throw strikes and he has a lot of confidence. We expected today out of him. He's on both sides of the plate with his fastball, and we knew that he would come out and do that."
The Herd led the way at the plate with a game-high eight hits. Leo Valenti (Olympia, Wash.) had a team-high two hits, while six teammates each had one.
Eastern Kentucky had six hits, and was led by right fielder Taylor Blair. Blair went 3-for-4 with a double. Starting pitcher Chris Cervantes (0-2) went one inning and allowed five runs on four hits.
This is Marshall's second shutout win of the season. The Herd defeated Brown University on March 13, 2016 in a 14-0 decision.
Up next, Marshall returns to Conference USA action by traveling to Charlotte for a three-game series. First game is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m.
