Marshall University Athletics
Friday, February 8
San Diego, Calif.
2:00 PM
Marshall University
1-0
5
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2
California Riverside
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4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Marshall University
0
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14
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UC Riverside
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7
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Photo by: Adam Gue
Softball Wins Two in Coach Smith’s Debut
2/9/2019 12:52:00 AM | Softball
Herd racks up 22 combined hits between the two victories
UC-Riverside Box Score (PDF)
San Diego Box Score (PDF)
SAN DIEGO – The Marshall softball team dominated in two victories Friday to open the 2019 season in head coach Megan Smith's debut. The Herd defeated UC-Riverside 5-2 in the first game and then took down the host team San Diego, 10-1, in the night cap.
"I'm really proud of how our team came out and competed today," coach Smith said. "Both games were complete team wins. Our pitching and hitting were outstanding in both games. Abbie (Tolbert) and KK (Kailee Williamson) showed a lot of poise in the circle and did a great job of attacking hitters and keeping them off balance.
"Our hitters had an aggressive mindset and consistently put pressure on the defense in both games."
Game One: Marshall 5, UC-Riverside 2
The Herd got on the board first in the second inning and kept its foot on the gas pedal throughout the contest. Marshall recorded 14 hits, as the Highlanders had to make some great defensive plays to keep more Herd runners from crossing the plate.
Sophomore Rachel Rousseau finished the game with two doubles, two RBI, scored two runs and was walked once. Fellow sophomore Armani Brown ended the game 3-of-4 with one run and one RBI. Freshman Chloe Lee recorded two hits and had a stolen base in her debut and junior Blakely Burch had two hits and a run. Sophomore Aly Harrell was the only Herd player not to record a hit, however she did reach base three times as she got plunked twice and walked once.
Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert went the distance for the win. She allowed seven hits, two runs, one earned and struck out two.
The Herd got on the board in the second inning after Rousseau hit her first double of the day and then scored four batters later as Brown got on from an infield single.
Marshall scored three more in the third to extend the lead to 4-0. Senior Briana Daiss and Burch got on base with back-to-back base hits. Junior Brooke Burns entered to run for Daiss, then Burns and Burch scored on Rousseau's second double of the afternoon. Rousseau then scored off a single by senior Hayden Ellis.
The Highlanders scored twice in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit in half, but Marshall returned with one more run in the top of the fourth. Brown got on base to leadoff the inning, stole second, took third on a wild pitch, and then scored on an error from the catcher. Freshman Rachel Pennington stole a base in her collegiate debut, coming in to pinch run in the inning.
Marshall led 5-2 and held on for the rest of the contest.
Game Two: Marshall 10, San Diego 1
The Herd kept on firing on all cylinders in the final game of the day against the host team. Marshall had eight hits and took advantage of three USD errors, and 10 free passes with eight walks and two hit-by-pitches.
Sophomore Kailee Williamson recorded the complete game victory allowing just four hits, one unearned run, and two strikeouts.
Rousseau delivered with two hits again including her third double of the season and drove in two runs.
The Herd scored first in the top of the first inning. Harrell ripped a double to deep right center. Freshman Mya Stevenson then came through with her first career hit in her first at-bat and drove in Harrell.
Marshall poured in five more runs in the second inning to take a 6-0 lead. The Herd loaded the bases on a walk from junior Sierra Huerta, a single from senior Hannah Giammarino and an infield single by Brown. Huerta scored on a bases loaded walk from Lee for the first run of the inning. Giammarino came in next on a ground out by Harrell as the defense opted to get Harrell at first. The inning should have ended as Stevenson grounded to third but the first baseman dropped the throw and both Brown and Lee scored with some great base running. Stevenson later scored as Burch smacked a triple to right field.
USD finally got on the board in the bottom of the third, but Rousseau ended the inning with a great diving catch in shallow left field that stranded two runners on base. Marshall answered with two more runs in the fourth as Rousseau drove home Harrell and Stevenson with her third double of the day. The Herd led 8-1.
Marshall added two more runs in the top of the seventh. Rousseau led off with a single and Huerta followed up getting hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt from Ellis moved both into scoring position and then and infield error on a grounder by Brown brought home Rousseau and Huerta.
The Herd returns to the field Saturday at 11:30 a.m. local time, 2:30 p.m. eastern, against Cal Poly. The night cap for Marshall is against UC-Riverside at 7 p.m. local time, 10 p.m. eastern.
Fans can tune in on the Cutting Sports Radio Network online at www.marshall.edu/wmul, and with a simulcast on Facebook Live through the team's page.
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.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
San Diego Box Score (PDF)
SAN DIEGO – The Marshall softball team dominated in two victories Friday to open the 2019 season in head coach Megan Smith's debut. The Herd defeated UC-Riverside 5-2 in the first game and then took down the host team San Diego, 10-1, in the night cap.
"I'm really proud of how our team came out and competed today," coach Smith said. "Both games were complete team wins. Our pitching and hitting were outstanding in both games. Abbie (Tolbert) and KK (Kailee Williamson) showed a lot of poise in the circle and did a great job of attacking hitters and keeping them off balance.
"Our hitters had an aggressive mindset and consistently put pressure on the defense in both games."
Game One: Marshall 5, UC-Riverside 2
The Herd got on the board first in the second inning and kept its foot on the gas pedal throughout the contest. Marshall recorded 14 hits, as the Highlanders had to make some great defensive plays to keep more Herd runners from crossing the plate.
Sophomore Rachel Rousseau finished the game with two doubles, two RBI, scored two runs and was walked once. Fellow sophomore Armani Brown ended the game 3-of-4 with one run and one RBI. Freshman Chloe Lee recorded two hits and had a stolen base in her debut and junior Blakely Burch had two hits and a run. Sophomore Aly Harrell was the only Herd player not to record a hit, however she did reach base three times as she got plunked twice and walked once.
Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert went the distance for the win. She allowed seven hits, two runs, one earned and struck out two.
The Herd got on the board in the second inning after Rousseau hit her first double of the day and then scored four batters later as Brown got on from an infield single.
Marshall scored three more in the third to extend the lead to 4-0. Senior Briana Daiss and Burch got on base with back-to-back base hits. Junior Brooke Burns entered to run for Daiss, then Burns and Burch scored on Rousseau's second double of the afternoon. Rousseau then scored off a single by senior Hayden Ellis.
The Highlanders scored twice in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit in half, but Marshall returned with one more run in the top of the fourth. Brown got on base to leadoff the inning, stole second, took third on a wild pitch, and then scored on an error from the catcher. Freshman Rachel Pennington stole a base in her collegiate debut, coming in to pinch run in the inning.
Marshall led 5-2 and held on for the rest of the contest.
Game Two: Marshall 10, San Diego 1
The Herd kept on firing on all cylinders in the final game of the day against the host team. Marshall had eight hits and took advantage of three USD errors, and 10 free passes with eight walks and two hit-by-pitches.
Sophomore Kailee Williamson recorded the complete game victory allowing just four hits, one unearned run, and two strikeouts.
Rousseau delivered with two hits again including her third double of the season and drove in two runs.
The Herd scored first in the top of the first inning. Harrell ripped a double to deep right center. Freshman Mya Stevenson then came through with her first career hit in her first at-bat and drove in Harrell.
Marshall poured in five more runs in the second inning to take a 6-0 lead. The Herd loaded the bases on a walk from junior Sierra Huerta, a single from senior Hannah Giammarino and an infield single by Brown. Huerta scored on a bases loaded walk from Lee for the first run of the inning. Giammarino came in next on a ground out by Harrell as the defense opted to get Harrell at first. The inning should have ended as Stevenson grounded to third but the first baseman dropped the throw and both Brown and Lee scored with some great base running. Stevenson later scored as Burch smacked a triple to right field.
USD finally got on the board in the bottom of the third, but Rousseau ended the inning with a great diving catch in shallow left field that stranded two runners on base. Marshall answered with two more runs in the fourth as Rousseau drove home Harrell and Stevenson with her third double of the day. The Herd led 8-1.
Marshall added two more runs in the top of the seventh. Rousseau led off with a single and Huerta followed up getting hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt from Ellis moved both into scoring position and then and infield error on a grounder by Brown brought home Rousseau and Huerta.
The Herd returns to the field Saturday at 11:30 a.m. local time, 2:30 p.m. eastern, against Cal Poly. The night cap for Marshall is against UC-Riverside at 7 p.m. local time, 10 p.m. eastern.
Fans can tune in on the Cutting Sports Radio Network online at www.marshall.edu/wmul, and with a simulcast on Facebook Live through the team's page.
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.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tolbert, Abigail (1-0)
L: M. Olmos (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Rousseau, Rachel 2
RBI: Brown, Armani 1 ; Rousseau, Rachel 2 ; Ellis, Hayden 1
SH: Daiss, Briana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brown, Armani 1 ; Burns, Brooke 1 ; Burch, Blakely 1 ; Rousseau, Rachel 2
SB: Brown, Armani 1 ; Lee, Chloe 1 ; Pennington, Rachel 1 ; Estrada, Abigail 1
HBP: Harrell, Aly 2
PO: Harrell, Aly 1
Batting:
2B: D. Ortega 1
RBI: B. Garcia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: D. Ortega 1 ; B. Garcia 1
HBP: N. Witt 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballMarshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
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Marshall Softball: Kaleea Washington & Brooklyn Ulrich (Post-Radford)
Tuesday, April 22
Marshall Softball: HC Morgan Zerkle, Haleigh Adkins, Paige Maynard (Post-Coastal)
Friday, April 18
Hype and Harmony: the Team Personality Fuels Success #softball
Thursday, April 17