Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Charlotte
Herd Softball Splits Day One with Charlotte
4/14/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game One Box Score (PDF)
Game Two Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - The Marshall softball team won game one, 5-1, and then lost game two, 5-2, against the Charlotte 49ers in a doubleheader Saturday at Dot Hicks Field. Game three on Sunday is now set for a 9 a.m. start time due to the possibility of inclement weather later in the day.
The Thundering Herd is now 20-22-1 overall and 9-7-1 in Conference USA. Charlotte is 14-27 overall and 6-11 in conference play.
Saturday was Marshall's special Cancer Awareness Day as the players all wore pink jerseys. The jerseys get auctioned off through a silent auction with the proceeds going to designated local cancer research foundations.
Game One: Marshall 5, Charlotte 1
The 49ers got on the board first in the second inning, but Marshall came through with four runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth for the win.
Sophomore Kailee Williamson came on in relief in the second inning, pitched the rest of the way and did not allow a run in recording her seventh win of the season. She scattered four hits and struck out two.
"We got a really nice pitching performance from Williamson," Herd head coach Jen Steele said. "She came in to a tight situation (bases loaded and no outs) and helped minimize the damage.
"On the offensive side, we were able to execute by getting a leadoff hit, bunting her over, taking two bags because of aggressive base-running and then hitting balls behind runners to score. That's not always our game; we don't typically bunt runners over and go back door like we did today, but it was effective and helped secure the win."
In the fourth, senior Taylor McCord led off with an infield single. Junior Abigail Estrada came in to pinch run and used heads up base-running to make it to third on a sacrifice bunt from fellow junior Briana Daiss. Sophomore Blakely Burch was walked next and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Freshman Wylie Glover stepped up and drove in Estrada with a base hit to tie the game at 1-1.
Marshall then took the lead as freshman Grayson Radcliffe reached on a fielder's choice with an errant throw coming to the plate. Burch and Glover both scored on the play. Two batters later, senior Elicia D'Orazio drove in Radcliffe to give the Herd a three-run lead, 4-1.
Glover drove in her second run of the game in the fifth, with a double off the fence in right, which plated freshman Aly Harrell.
D'Orazio finished the game 3-of-4 at the plate with one RBI and a stolen base. It was her 158th career swipe and she needs five more to pass former teammate Morgan Zerkle (2014-17) for the most in program history.
Senior Jordan Colliflower's hitting streak ended as she was held without a hit in game one. Colliflower's streak lasted 41 days and 23 games. The last time the Huntington, W.Va., native did not have a hit was March 3 against No. 20 South Carolina. It is the second longest streak in program history and she hit .472 over the span.
Game two: Charlotte 5, Marshall 2
The Herd gave up two runs in the first, one in the sixth and two more in the seventh as the 49ers bounced back to take game two, 5-2.
"We were never able to string any offensive rhythm together," coach Steele said.
Marshall finished the game with six hits. Burch and Radcliffe recorded two hits each. Burch drove in the Herd's first run in the fourth with an RBI double. Harrell belted her seventh home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth that cut the deficit to one, 3-2.
D'Orazio continued her streak of reaching base safely up to 18 games with three hits in game one and a walk in game two.
Game three was originally scheduled for a 12 p.m. first pitch. With the threat of rain later in the day, the game was moved up to 9 a.m. The game will be broadcast on CUSAtv.com and on 88.1 WMUL-FM, www.marshall.edu/wmul.
For all of the latest information on the Marshall Softball team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdSB, Facebook at Marshall University Softball and on www.herdzone.com.
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