Marshall University Athletics
Herd Softball Back in C-USA Action at WKU
4/20/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - The Marshall softball team is back in Conference USA action this Saturday and Sunday at the WKU Hilltoppers. The Saturday doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. eastern, and the Sunday series finale is set for 1 p.m. eastern.
The Thundering Herd is 22-22-1 and 10-7-1 in C-USA. The Hilltoppers are 24-19 and 7-8 in conference action.
Fans can tune in for all of the games on 88.1 WMUL-FM and online at www.marshall.edu/wmul through one of the Listen Live links on the right-hand side of the page. Only the third game of the series on Sunday will be on CUSAtv.com.
Last Time Out: James Madison
The Herd dominated the Dukes in a single game matchup at Dot Hicks Field winning 7-0. Taylor McCord set the program record with her 56th runner caught stealing in the third inning, passing Karri Britt (2000-03), and was one of several great defensive plays that highlighted the day. In the fifth, Wylie Glover made a diving catch in left-center that was featured on SportsCenter Top 10 as well as the NCAA Softball Top 10. Abigail Tolbert pitched a gem with the complete game, shutout victory. Tolbert tied her career-high with seven strikeouts and allowed just three singles to a team that has 103 extra base hits this season. The Herd offense exploded for all seven of its runs in the second inning, capped by a three-run home run from Aly Harrell.
The Series
Marshall and WKU first met on March 9-10, 2001 in Bowling Green. The teams split that first two-game set. Two years later, the Herd took an 11-1 loss in five innings at the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn. Twelve years went by before the teams met on the field again, this time as Conference USA opponents (2015). The first series was played in Huntington and Marshall won game one in extra innings by an Emileigh Cooper walk-off home run in the 10th. The game started on March 13 but was delayed due to rain in the 10th after Cooper faced just one pitch with Rebecca Myslenski at first. The next day Cooper stepped up and delivered the winner off future C-USA Pitcher of the Year Miranda Kramer. WKU won the next two games to take the series and eventually went on to win the C-USA Title. Marshall traveled to Bowling Green in 2016 and won the series after clinching a close 3-2 victory in the series finale on Sunday. In 2017, WKU came back to Huntington and the Herd swept the series as part of the program record 17-game winning streak. Jordan Dixon struck out 17 while earning two wins. Kailee Williamson won game two and Morgan Zerkle belted her fourth homer of the season in game three.
Scouting the Hilltoppers
The Hilltoppers enter the weekend with a record of 24-19 and 7-8 in Conference USA action. However, WKU has lost its last five games including a series sweep by UAB. The Hilltoppers lost to 20th ranked Kentucky 7-1 on Wednesday. On offense, the team is hitting .276 and has outscored the opposition by 52 (220-172). Paige Carter leads with a .347 average, 43 hits 35 RBI and tied for the lead with five home runs. Kelsey McGuffin, Brittany Vaughn and Rebekah Engelhardt have five homers each this season. WKU has been prolific with extra base hits featuring 63 doubles, 13 triples and 29 home runs. However, the pitching staff has given up 67 doubles, 29 home runs and three triples. Kelsey Aikey has the best ERA on the team with a 2.90 in 113.1 innings pitched. Aikey has a 10-6 record and 84 strikeouts. Shelby Nunn has the most innings with 135.1, a 3.26 ERA, 13-11 record and 87 strikeouts.
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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