Marshall University Athletics
Herd Softball Falls at Louisville
5/2/2018 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (PDF)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Marshall softball team fell to the Louisville Cardinals in a high-scoring thriller, 13-10, Wednesday afternoon from Ulmer Stadium. The Thundering Herd scored nine runs in the fifth inning to take a four-run lead, but then the Cardinals scored seven in the bottom of the frame to take back the lead.
Marshall is now 23-28-1 and Louisville improves to 32-17.
"It's a shame that we couldn't close out with the win," Herd head coach Jen Steele said. "Our offense was incredible in the fifth. We attacked every pitcher and had great at-bats. Unfortunately our defense and pitching staff couldn't get it done down the stretch. It's tough to swallow because today's win would have been a big morale boost for our squad."
The Cardinals got the scoring started in the first with one run and then scored three more in the third. The Herd finally got on the board with a solo home run from senior Taylor McCord in the fourth. It was her fifth of the season and 18th of her career.
Louisville responded with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-1 lead.
And then, the fifth inning happened.
A total of 24 batters and 16 runs were scored between the two teams in the fifth alone. A group of four seniors got it started for the Herd as Eloise Tribolet led off with a single and then was followed by Jordan Colliflower and Elicia D'Orazio with bunt-singles. With bases loaded, McCord drew a walk and then freshman Aly Harrell was hit by a pitch that brought in another run. Junior Ali Burdette came in to pinch hit and drove in D'Orazio and McCord with a single to right-center. Freshman Wylie Glover followed with a single to right that scored Harrell to tie the game at 6-6.
Marshall was not done, after the second pitching change for Louisville with one out, freshman Samantha Koehn hit a single up the middle that scored Burdette to give the Herd the lead. Tribolet came back up to the plate and hit another single to left that scored Glover. Two batters later, D'Orazio capped the scoring with a two RBI single as Marshall held a 10-6 lead.
However, the Cardinals bats responded in a big way in the bottom of the fifth with seven runs to take back a three-run lead. Reigning USA Softball Division I Player of the Week Megan Hensley hit a grand slam to highlight the inning.
Through the next inning-and-a-half, only one runner reached base.
In the circle, Louisville sent four different players in to pitch and three pitched for the Herd. Junior Abigail Tolbert started the game and finished the contest as well and pitched a total of four innings. Junior Ali Burdette pitched 1.2 innings and was credited with the loss. Sophomore Kailee Williamson faced just three batters in the fifth.
The Thundering Herd returns to the field Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6, at Dot Hicks Field to take on Middle Tennessee in the regular season finale. The Saturday doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. and the single game on Sunday is set for 12 p.m.
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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