Marshall University Athletics
@HerdBaseball Visits WVU Tuesday; Hosts Virginia Tech Wednesday
4/3/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Two midweek games are slated for the Marshall baseball team this week, beginning Tuesday against West Virginia at Monongalia County Ballpark in Morgantown, W.Va. at 6:30 p.m. The Herd will then host Virginia Tech Wednesday at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, W.Va. at 6 p.m.
ON THE MOUND
Tuesday: RHP Brad O'Connor (1-2, 5.70 ERA) vs. RHP Isaiah Kearns (3-0, 3.86 ERA)
Wednesday: TBA vs. TBA
HAVE YOU HERD?
Marshall (12-13, 4-5 Conference USA) got back in the win column Sunday following a six-run rally in the seventh inning at Appalachian Power Park against Middle Tennessee. The Herd entered the bottom of the seventh trailing, 6-1, but a two-run double by Leo Valenti, a sacrifice fly by Tyler Ratliff and a three-run homer by Sam Finfer gave Marshall a 7-6 lead. MU added an insurance run in the eighth, as it held on to its 8-6 win.
Outfielders Shane Hanon and Finfer continue to be the most consistent at the plate for the Thundering Herd. Hanon extended his hit streak to nine games over the weekend, hitting at least one single in each game. Finfer pushed his hit streak to eight games by going 6-for-13 over the weekend, with four RBIs and his team-high eighth home run.
MARSHALL-OHIO RESCHEDUELD
Marshall's game against the Ohio Bobcats that was postponed on March 14 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, April 12 at the Kennedy Center Field on Route 2. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
It will be the 162nd meeting between the teams, the most-played series in Thundering Herd baseball history.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
West Virginia (15-10, 4-2 Big 12) enters the midweek contest having won three of its last four. The Mountaineers defeated No. 23 Oklahoma State twice in a three-game series this past weekend. WVU holds the ninth-best RPI in the NCAA, with six wins over ranked opponents. West Virginia defeated No. 10 Baylor and No. 18 Coastal Carolina earlier this season.
The Mountaineers are led at the plate by Jackson Cramer and Darius Hill. Cramer holds a .315 batting average with four home runs and 20 RBIs. Hill is hitting .314 with two homers and 20 RBIs. Marques Ingram has a team-high .351 batting average.
SCOUTING THE HOKIES
Marshall and Virginia Tech (17-13, 6-6 ACC) will meet for the second and final time this season Wednesday night in Charleston, W.Va. The Hokies defeated the Thundering Herd, 7-0, on February 21 at English Field at Union Park.
Virginia Tech is coming off a three-game weekend series sweep over Atlantic Coast Conference foe Boston College in Blacksburg, Va. The Hokies combined for 30 runs over the series, while only allowing 13. VT is led at the plate by Jack Owens and Sam Fragale. Owens has a team-high .400 batting average with seven doubles, two triples and three home runs. Fragale leads the Hokies in RBIs with 44, hitting .336 with 12 homers.
#OneHerd
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UP NEXT
Marshall returns to Conference USA action this weekend by traveling to UAB. The Thundering Herd and Blazers are set to open their three-game series Friday at 7:30 p.m. (ET). The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. (ET) and concludes Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (ET).
