Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Niagara
Herd Cruises to Fourth Series Victory
3/11/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.-The Thundering Herd baseball team added another series victory to its 2018 tally Sunday overcoming Niagara University 6-2 in the series finale at Kennedy Center Field.
The win moved Marshall to 10-4 on the season, as Niagara fell to 2-8. It is the fourth consecutive series victory for the Herd, who have yet to drop a series this season.
Geordon Blanton has emerged as a playmaker for Marshall through the first thirteen games of the season and nothing changed in the fourteenth as he was tied for the team-high in hits and runs. Blanton had two hits while scoring a run and batted in another run. Raul Cabrera found success at a new position in his debut at first base after spending the start of the season at third. Cabrera totaled two hits, one run, and an RBI and led the team with eight putouts.
Designated hitter Steven Nice made an impact with two hits and an RBI in his first start of the season. Left fielder Tucker Linder led the team with two RBIs and now holds the highest batting average on the team at .380
Marshall's starting pitcher Will Ray earned his first win of the season to move to 1-0. Ray pitched six innings allowing five hits and one run (earned), while striking out four batters and walking three. Joshua Shapiro got the Herd its first save of the season with a strong relief performance. Shapiro pitched three innings allowing three hits and one run (earned), while striking out four and walking just one batter.
Niagara starter Alexandre Jones picked up the loss and is now 1-1. Jones pitched three innings allowing six hits, six runs (six earned), and walking five batters.
Marshall jumped out to a quick first inning lead when Linder drew a base on balls with the bases loaded. Peter Hutzal followed suit when he was hit by a pitch to force in another run. A single by Cabrera scored another, and the final run found its way home on a sacrifice fly by Nice. The Herd walked out of the first inning up 4-0.
That lead grew by one in the second inning on an RBI single by Linder that scored Andrew Zban from third base.
Niagara responded with a run of its own in the top of the third, but the Herd kept the runs coming, scoring another on an RBI single by Blanton. Niagara went on to score just one more run in the eighth inning for a victory secured early in the game by Marshall, who never relinquished its first inning lead.
The Herd finished with six runs off of eight hits with four errors. Niagara totaled two runs off of eight hits with just one error.
Up next, Marshall will play its first C-USA series at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston as the UAB Blazers travel to West Virginia for a three-game set.
