Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Niagara
Late Offensive Outburst Powers @HerdBaseball in Win over Niagara
3/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.VA. - Marshall baseball erased an early deficit with a five-run seventh inning Saturday to defeat Niagara, 9-6, at Kennedy Center Field.
The Thundering Herd improves to 8-6 overall, and has won seven of its last eight games. The Purple Eagles fall to 7-7.
Niagara started the scoring, as it put up one run in each of the first three innings. The Purple Eagles' scored in the first on a Peter Battaglia single to the shortstop that drove in Joel Brophy. In the second, Julian Gallup homered over the right field wall. Niagara picked up its third run in the third inning on Thundering Herd error.
After being held in check for the first four innings, Marshall scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Shane Hanon led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a Billy Sager single. Hanon scored on a Will Ray single to left field. Later in the inning, Sager came around to score on a sacrifice fly to center field by Tyler Ratliff.
Marshall completed its comeback in the bottom of the seventh, as it put up five runs, all with two outs. Ratliff drove in the first two runners of the inning with a single to center field. Ratliff was driven in by a Tommy Lane double to left field in the ensuing at-bat. Reynaldo Pastrana kept the inning going with a single to center field that scored Lane from second. After Pastrana advanced to second on a balk by the Niagara pitcher, Cory Garrastazu singled up the middle to score Pastrana.
The Herd tacked on two more runs to its tally in the bottom of the eighth, as Ratliff hit a two-run single to drive in Ray and Sager, giving the Herd a 9-3 lead.
Niagara posted three more runs in the top of the ninth, cutting its deficit to three. The Purple Eagles were unable to score anymore as Hunter Sexton finished the game by striking out Gallup looking.
Relief pitcher Brad O'Connor picked up his first win of the season. The Springfield, Ore., native went three innings with four strikeouts. He allowed three runs on two hits. Starting pitcher Patrick Murphy went five innings with three strikeouts. Sexton pitched one inning with a strikeout.
Marshall was led offensively by Ratliff, Ray and Lane. Ratliff was 3-for-4 with five RBIs, improving his season total to 20 RBIs. Ray was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI, while Lane was 2-for-5 with a double and a RBI.
Marshall returns to the Kennedy Center Field on Tuesday to face longtime rival Ohio. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
