Marshall University Athletics
@HerdBaseball to Host WKU in Huntington
5/4/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall baseball team hosts Conference USA foe WKU for a three-game weekend series at George T. Smailes Field at the Kennedy Center on Route 2. The series begins Friday at 1 p.m., and continues Saturday and Sunday with game times to be determined.
ON THE MOUND
Friday: RHP Wade Martin (3-3, 4.31 ERA) vs. LHP Ryan Thurston (3-4, 5.85 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Jacob Niggemeyer (2-3, 6.00 ERA) vs. TBA
Sunday: TBA vs. TBA
HAVE YOU HERD?
Marshall (21-23, 9-12 C-USA) earned a much needed win last Sunday over Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. The Thundering Herd outdueled the Monarchs to a 2-1 win in the final game of the series. Marshall was led by Matt Reed, Will Ray and Reynaldo Pastrana. Reed earned his team-leading fifth win of the series by pitching four innings relief. Ray earned the no decision but went five innings and didn't allow a run on four hits. Pastrana accounted for both runs for the Herd, including a solo homer in the top of the ninth.
Senior Sam Finfer and junior Tyler Ratliff have been a one-two punch for the Herd at the plate this season. Ratliff has started 27 games in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, while Finfer has started 25 in the No. 3 hole. Finfer, a Bellevue, Wash., native leads the Herd in batting average (.325), hits (54), doubles (14), home runs (14), RBIs (43). Ratliff, an Alexandria, Va., native follows closely behind him as he is third in batting average (.301) and second in hits (53), doubles (13), home runs (9) and RBIs (42). Ratliff leads the Herd in triples (3) and runs scored (42).
The Thundering Herd is tied for eighth place with Rice at 9-12 in league play with three weekends left to play. The top 8 teams make it to the 2017 Conference USA Championship in Biloxi, Miss. at MGM Park. Southern Miss is in first place with a conference record of 16-5, followed by Florida Atlantic (15-6), Old Dominion (14-7), Charlotte (14-7), Louisiana Tech (11-10), FIU (10-11) and UTSA (10-11). Marshall and Rice have two games up on UAB and Middle Tennessee at 7-14.
SCOUTING THE 'TOPS
WKU (14-32, 4-17 C-USA) looks to carry momentum into this weekend after a 14-3 midweek win over in-state rival Eastern Kentucky University. The Hilltoppers were led by designated hitter Kaleb Duckworth and center fielder Colie Currie. Duckworth was 2-for-3 with four RBIs and three runs scored, while Currie recorded three RBIs and two runs scored. The win snapped a three-game skid.
In league play this season, WKU won a series over Middle Tennessee by taking two-out-of-three. The 'Tops also have wins over UAB and UTSA.
#OneHerd
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UP NEXT
Marshall closes out its regular season road schedule with a trip to Louisiana Tech from May 12-14.
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