Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Florida State
@HerdSB Splits at the Unconquered Invitational
2/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score vs. FSU (PDF)
Box Score vs. Lipscomb (PDF)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Marshall softball team split on day two of the Unconquered Invitational. Herd (3-1) fell to No. 3 Florida State (4-0) 1-0, then defeated Lipscomb (1-3) 6-4.
Game 1: No. 3 Florida State 1, Marshall 0
It was a pitching and defensive battle between the No. 3 Seminoles and the Thundering Herd. Senior Jordan Dixon pitched a great game against a powerful offensive lineup that had scored 18 runs in two games on Friday. Dixon held Florida State to just three hits and the lone run, a solo home run to right-center field by Jessica Warren. It was Warren's third of the season.
Marshall made plays on the defensive side to help stay in the ball game. In the second inning, the birthday girl Abigail Estrada threw out a FSU player at home from center to end the inning. In the third, Madi Marshall made a catch on the run in foul territory in right field to retire Warren for the second out and not give the slugger another chance at the plate. In the bottom of the fifth, the speedy Morgan Klaevemann was on first and attempted two steal second when junior catcher Taylor McCord gunned her out as senior Morgan Zerkle applied the tag.
The Herd recorded seven hits against sophomore pitcher Meghan King. Junior Elicia D'Orazio finished 2-for-4 at the plate and stole two more bases giving her five for the year. Marshall had a few opportunities but just could not capitalize.
The Herd loaded the bases in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Briana Daiss legged out an infield single. Sophomore Hayden Ellis reached safely on an error by the first baseman and then Estrada recorded her first hit of the season with a perfectly placed bunt-single. The Seminoles then made the plays defensively that it needed to escape with the win.
Game 2: Marshall 6, Lipscomb 4
The Thundering Herd pulled off its third comeback of the weekend after falling behind 3-0, and then 4-2, to take down Lipscomb 6-4 in the nightcap.
The Bison started the scoring with three quick runs in the top of the first as all nine batters came to the plate. The Herd scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to bring the deficit down to one. Elicia D'Orazio and Taylor McCord both crossed the plate after wild pitches from McCarley Thomas in the circle.
Lipscomb added one more run in the second to take a two-run lead. Starting pitcher Kailee Williamson and the Marshall defense settled in after the second inning and shut down the Bison over the next two innings.
Marshall tied the game at 4-4, in the fourth inning as both Jordan Colliflower and Eloise Tribolet came home after Zerkle hit a ball to the left side that went right between the legs of the shortstop.
Jordan Dixon entered the circle in the fifth and proceeded to strikeout all three batters. The Herd then took the lead after McCord scored in the bottom of the fifth. McCord reached base after a throwing error to lead off. She advanced to second and then third on illegal pitch calls. McCord crossed the plate as Ali Burdette grounded a pitch to short that the Bison defense attempted to get Hayden Ellis out at second.
Lipscomb put a runner on base in the top of the sixth, but Dixon recorded two straight strikeouts to end the inning and the threat. In the bottom of the sixth, the Herd added one more run to take the two-run lead after McCord drove in Morgan Zerkle from third with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Dixon and the defense finished off the Bison in the top of the seventh going through three batters in just six pitches.
Dixon recorded her third win of the season and added six more strikeouts in three shutout innings.
Elicia D'Orazio was awarded the Dot Hicks Significant sticker after the win over Lipscomb. D'Orazio was 1-for-3 at the plate with a run, a stolen base and great plays defensively at crucial moments when the Herd needed it most.
UP NEXT
Marshall returns to the field tomorrow to take on No. 3 Florida State for the second time this weekend. Both teams won in the first round of tournament play. First pitch for the championship of the Unconquered Invitational is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Lipscomb and Furman will play in the consolation game at 10 a.m.
All of Marshall's games will be broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM and online at www.marshall.edu/wmul through one of the "Listen Live" links. The Herd's games against Florida State will not be featured on Facebook Live.
For all of the latest information about Marshall softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Marshall University Softball on Facebook.
