Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Niagara
Herd Splits Doubleheader with Niagara
3/10/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.-The Marshall Thundering Herd baseball team split a doubleheader with Niagara on Saturday in games two and three of the series. The Herd brought the first game to an early end going up 11-1 in the seventh inning to trigger the mercy rule. Niagara got its revenge in the second game walking away with the 7-4 victory.
The win and loss moved Marshall to 9-4 on the season, but it can retain the series victory Sunday in game four. Niagara doubled their win total this season, improving to 2-7.
Shortstop Geordon Blanton continued his big series after batting in the winning run in the first game Friday. Blanton totaled three hits, runs, and RBIs while also making an impact fielding with multiple 6-3 plays on the day. Second baseman Peter Hutzal hit the first home run of his Marshall career in game two. Hutzal totaled two hits, RBIs, and runs over the course of the two games.
The game one victory went to starter Brad O'Connor who improved to 2-2 this season. O'Connor got credit for the complete game in seven innings pitched while giving up just three hits, one run (earned), striking out four and walking two. Niagara's Jackson Jones moved to 0-2 on the season pitching five innings and giving up six hits, seven runs (five earned), while walking four and striking out just as many.
The game two victory was secured by Niagara reliever Ben Erwin, who wound up pitching more innings than the starter. Erwin pitched five innings giving up two hits, one run (earned), with three strikeouts and walks. Mark Meyer got the start for Marshall and the loss moves him to 1-1 this season. Meyer pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up one hit, four runs (four earned), while walking six batters and striking out two.
Marshall jumped out to an early lead in game one on a sacrifice hit by Robbins that scored Hutzal in inning one. The lead grew to 2-0 in the second inning when Blanton scored from third on a groundout by Hutzal.
The Herd added five more runs in the third inning with Reynaldo Pastrana, Raul Cabrera, Tucker Linder, Blanton, and Robbins all finding their way to home plate in a variety of ways to put Marshall up 7-0.
Three more runners scored in the sixth inning for Marshall.
Niagara finally got one run in the top of the seventh to make it 10-1 and seemingly avoid the mercy rule, but another Marshall run in the bottom of the inning by Kody Matthews triggered the runs rule and the game was over 11-1.
Game two started with a deficit for the home team as it fell behind 4-0 to Niagara off of multiple walks. The Herd got on the board in the bottom of the inning with RBIs by Blanton and Erik Rodriguez to make the score 4-2.
Marshall pulled a little closer with a run in the fourth, but a three-run sixth inning by Niagara ended any hopes of a comeback as the Purple Eagles pulled out the 7-4 victory.
The Herd finished game one with eleven runs off of eleven hits and two errors. Niagara has one run on three hits and two errors. Game two wasn't as kind to Marshall as it scored four runs off of four hits and had one error. Niagara rebounded with seven runs on eight hits with two errors.
Up next Marshall looks to secure the series victory Sunday in its final game against Niagara before a three-game series next week at Appalachian Power Park against the Blazers of UAB.
