Marshall University Athletics
Friday, February 22
Wilmington, N.C.
12 p.m.
Marshall University
2-3
9
vs
8
Iona
0-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Iona
0
2
0
0
2
4
0
0
0
0
8
11
3
Marshall
3
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
9
11
0
Photo by: Cody Linn
Baseball Comes Back to Beat Iona in Extra Innings
2/22/2019 6:07:00 PM | Baseball
Herd benefitted from three players with two RBI
Box Score | Play-By-Play | Photo Gallery
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Herd Baseball (2-3) takes its opening contest at Hughes Bros. Challenge over Iona (0-4), 9-8, in extra innings in Wilmington, N.C. Marshall was aided in the victory by 4.2 innings of shutout relief by Philip Hoffman and Michael Guerrero, and Geordon Blanton's late-game heroics at the plate.
"Number one we won the game," 13th-year head coach Jeff Waggoner said after the win over Iona. "We're not playing well as a team, but finding a way to win is important. It helps build some confidence."
Philip Hoffman came on in relief of Hunter Sexton after an Iona bases-clearing triple gave the Gaels an 8-5 advantage over the Herd in the sixth inning. The sophomore locked it down and stranded the runner at third to limit the damage.
He continued his dominance over the Iona lineup with three more innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out four batters in his 3.2 innings of work.
"I thought the player of the game today was Philip Hoffman," Waggoner said. "He came out when we needed to get the momentum back and shut down their offense."
After Hoffman kept the Gael lead at 8-7 with three outs in the top of ninth, Blanton launched a lead-off home run over the left field wall to tie the game. The Herd had a chance to win the ballgame after getting runners to second and third with one out, but failed to score as the game headed to extra innings.
Michael Guerrero came on in the 10th for Hoffman. It wasn't an easy inning for Guerrero. However, he struck out the final batter of the inning to keep the contest tied at 8-8 and strand the bases loaded with Iona runners to head to the bottom half of the inning.
Tucker Linder lead off the bottom of the 10th by reaching on an error and was able to advance to second. Linder than advanced to third on a wild pitch and Evan Hurn drew a walk to have two Marshall runners on with no outs in the inning.
After Andrew Zban struck out, Blanton hit a grounder to reach on a fielder's choice as Linder beat the throw home to score the game-winning run for the Herd.
"I had struggled most of the game," Blanton said. "Elvis (Peralta) came up to me and said 'The only at-bat that matters is the next one,' so that was going through my head. I got a good pitch, put the barrel on it and it worked out."
Marshall jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Shane Hanon and a two-RBI single by Linder.
After the Gaels scored two runs in the top of the second, Erik Rodriguez knocked in Blanton on a single and Hanon brought Rodriguez home on a sacrifice fly to give Marshall a 5-2 lead after two.
Herd starter Ryan Falls went four-plus innings giving up four runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out four batters. Falls was pulled in the top of the fifth after giving up a two-run homer.
Iona led 8-5 after a four-run sixth inning, but the Herd chipped away at the Gael lead by scoring a run in each of the final four innings to get the win.
GAME NOTES
- Blanton, Hanon and Linder each had a team-high two RBI.
- Blanton's game-high three runs scored are also a career-high.
- Reynaldo Pastrana had a hit, run scored and an RBI in the victory.
UP NEXT
Marshall is set to play a twin bill Saturday (Feb. 22) with a morning contest against Indiana State and another game against Iona in the evening.
For all the latest information about Marshall baseball, follow @HerdBaseball on Twitter and @HerdBSB on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
---HerdZone.com---
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Herd Baseball (2-3) takes its opening contest at Hughes Bros. Challenge over Iona (0-4), 9-8, in extra innings in Wilmington, N.C. Marshall was aided in the victory by 4.2 innings of shutout relief by Philip Hoffman and Michael Guerrero, and Geordon Blanton's late-game heroics at the plate.
"Number one we won the game," 13th-year head coach Jeff Waggoner said after the win over Iona. "We're not playing well as a team, but finding a way to win is important. It helps build some confidence."
Philip Hoffman came on in relief of Hunter Sexton after an Iona bases-clearing triple gave the Gaels an 8-5 advantage over the Herd in the sixth inning. The sophomore locked it down and stranded the runner at third to limit the damage.
He continued his dominance over the Iona lineup with three more innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out four batters in his 3.2 innings of work.
"I thought the player of the game today was Philip Hoffman," Waggoner said. "He came out when we needed to get the momentum back and shut down their offense."
After Hoffman kept the Gael lead at 8-7 with three outs in the top of ninth, Blanton launched a lead-off home run over the left field wall to tie the game. The Herd had a chance to win the ballgame after getting runners to second and third with one out, but failed to score as the game headed to extra innings.
Michael Guerrero came on in the 10th for Hoffman. It wasn't an easy inning for Guerrero. However, he struck out the final batter of the inning to keep the contest tied at 8-8 and strand the bases loaded with Iona runners to head to the bottom half of the inning.
Tucker Linder lead off the bottom of the 10th by reaching on an error and was able to advance to second. Linder than advanced to third on a wild pitch and Evan Hurn drew a walk to have two Marshall runners on with no outs in the inning.
After Andrew Zban struck out, Blanton hit a grounder to reach on a fielder's choice as Linder beat the throw home to score the game-winning run for the Herd.
"I had struggled most of the game," Blanton said. "Elvis (Peralta) came up to me and said 'The only at-bat that matters is the next one,' so that was going through my head. I got a good pitch, put the barrel on it and it worked out."
Marshall jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Shane Hanon and a two-RBI single by Linder.
After the Gaels scored two runs in the top of the second, Erik Rodriguez knocked in Blanton on a single and Hanon brought Rodriguez home on a sacrifice fly to give Marshall a 5-2 lead after two.
Herd starter Ryan Falls went four-plus innings giving up four runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out four batters. Falls was pulled in the top of the fifth after giving up a two-run homer.
Iona led 8-5 after a four-run sixth inning, but the Herd chipped away at the Gael lead by scoring a run in each of the final four innings to get the win.
GAME NOTES
- Blanton, Hanon and Linder each had a team-high two RBI.
- Blanton's game-high three runs scored are also a career-high.
- Reynaldo Pastrana had a hit, run scored and an RBI in the victory.
UP NEXT
Marshall is set to play a twin bill Saturday (Feb. 22) with a morning contest against Indiana State and another game against Iona in the evening.
For all the latest information about Marshall baseball, follow @HerdBaseball on Twitter and @HerdBSB on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Guerrero, Michael (1-0)
L: Sullivan, Paul (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Gorman, Michael 1 ; DeMaio, Joe 1
3B: Field, Jake 1
HR: Switalla, Niko 1
RBI: Kinsey, Fran 1 ; Switalla, Niko 2 ; Field, Jake 3 ; Gorman, Michael 1 ; DeMaio, Joe 1
SH: Furman, Stephen 1 ; Budesa, Jon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kinsey, Fran 2 ; Switalla, Niko 2 ; Furman, Stephen 1 ; Sibley, Hunter 1 ; Gorman, Michael 1 ; DeMaio, Joe 1
CS: Gorman, Michael 1 ; DeMaio, Joe 1
HBP: Switalla, Niko 1
Batting:
2B: Blanton, Geordon 1 ; Hanon, Shane 2 ; Inskeep, Zach 1
HR: Blanton, Geordon 1
RBI: Blanton, Geordon 2 ; Rodriguez, Erik 1 ; Hanon, Shane 2 ; Pastrana, Reynaldo 1 ; Linder, Tucker 2
SF: Hanon, Shane 1 ; Pastrana, Reynaldo 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blanton, Geordon 3 ; Rodriguez, Erik 2 ; Pastrana, Reynaldo 1 ; Peralta Jr., Elvis 1 ; Edwards, Luke 1 ; Linder, Tucker 1
SB: Blanton, Geordon 1 ; Rodriguez, Erik 2 ; Pastrana, Reynaldo 1
HBP: Rodriguez, Erik 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
6
R
3
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
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LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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OF
/ Baseball
OF/INF
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C
/ BaseballOF
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RHP
/ Baseball
OF
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