Marshall University Athletics
HERD FALLS 9-5 IN C-USA SERIES FINALE
4/29/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MIAMI, Fla.-The Thundering Herd baseball team was defeated in its series finale with Florida International Sunday 9-5. Five runs scored off of two home runs by FIU proved to be Marshall's undoing.
The loss moved The Herd's record to 18-23 (6-15 C-USA) on the season. FIU improved to 21-22 (10-11 C-USA).
Tucker Linder had the hot bat for the Herd racking up three hits, two runs, two RBIs, and a walk. Cameron Collett had two hits in both of his at-bats. Erik Rodriguez also had two hits to go along with a run.
Chris Fryer moved to 1-2 on the season in 1/3 of an inning. The freshman allowed no hits, two runs (two earned), while walking two batters with one strikeout. FIU's relief pitcher Jose Machado remained undefeated on the season, improving to 3-0. Machado pitched one inning allowing two hits, one run (earned), with a strikeout and no walks.
Marshall jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when an RBI single by Linder scored leadoff man Kody Matthews from second. Another RBI single by Peter Hutzal after Linder stole second base gave The Herd a two run lead.
Another run found its way home in the third inning when Linder hit a solo homer over the left field wall for a 3-0 lead.
Another solo homer came in the fifth inning for The Herd, this time off the bat of Reynaldo Pastrana to make it a 4-0 game.
FIU answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer of its own to cut the lead to 4-2.
The Panthers put up five runs in the seventh, three off an absolute bomb to left field to make it a 7-4 game.
The Herd was able to score a run in the eighth off a sacrifice fly by Matthews to make it a 7-5 game, but two runs in the bottom of the inning by FIU, and none for Marshall in the top of the ninth resulted in the 9-5 loss.
Marshall finished the day with five runs off of 11 hits with no errors. FIU had nine runs off 11 hits with an error.
Up next The Herd is back at Appalachian Power Park to take on ODU in a three game C-USA series that could prove crucial in conference tournament seeding.
