Marshall University Athletics
Sunday, March 10
Fairfax, Va.
10:00 AM
Marshall University
16-6
2
vs
4
Monmouth
7-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Monmouth
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
4
6
1
Marshall University
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
5
0
Photo by: Adam Gue
Softball Splits on Final Day of Cherry Blossom Classic
3/10/2019 5:29:00 PM | Softball
Herd finished with 5-4 comeback victory over host George Mason
Monmouth Box Score (PDF)
George Mason Box Score (PDF)
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The Marshall softball team dropped its first game of the day and won the second Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Cherry Blossom Classic. The Herd fell 4-2 against Monmouth and then came from behind to defeat George Mason, 5-4.
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The Thundering Herd improved to 17-6. Monmouth improved as well to 7-6 and George Mason fell to 4-9.
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"It was not a great day for us," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "We were lucky to come away with one win today and that was a result of our fight. We certainly did not play up to our potential in any aspect today. We fought hard in both games and that is what propelled us in the second game.
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"Cait Myers came up big for us today with her first career hit to tie George Mason. I thought that was huge for her as a freshman to be thrown into that situation and be poised enough to execute in a high pressure situation. I was very proud of her for that."
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Game One: Monmouth 4, Marshall 2
The Herd offense struggled in the first game of the day. The team didn't record a hit until the fourth inning and finished the game with five. The Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead through three innings and Marshall scored two in the fourth, but could not muster anymore.
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Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert pitched the complete game and fell to 10-5. Tolbert recorded six strikeouts and moved ahead of Amanda Luers (2004-07) for 13th all-time in program history with 149 strikeouts.
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In the fourth, sophomore Armani Brown got the inning started reaching base safely on an infield error. Fellow sophomore Aly Harrell followed with a double to right and Brown scored all the way from first. Freshman Rachel Pennington entered the game to pinch run for Harrell and scored three batters later when junior Sierra Huerta hit a two-out single to center.
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Monmouth added one more run in the sixth to increase its lead to two, 4-2, and then held on the rest of the way. Marshall had an opportunity in the bottom of the seventh as senior Abigail Estrada led off with single to left, but the Herd could not find that timely hit.
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Game Two: Marshall 5, George Mason 4
Marshall had to find some toughness and fight back after committing four errors in just the first two innings.
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The Herd got on the board first in the top of the second. Sophomore Katie Adams led off with a double to right-center. Three batters later, junior Blakely Burch hit her third triple of the season and scored Adams.
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Marshall booted the ball around in the bottom of the second with three errors, but allowed just one run on the board to the Patriots. However, George Mason added three runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Junior pitcher Kailee Williamson who received the start, got a double play going for the first two outs after catching a line drive back to the circle, then turning and tossing to Brown covering second base.
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The Herd returned fire in the top of the fourth scoring two runs as well to tie the game back up at 3-3. Huerta was a hit by a pitch and then freshman Chloe Lee dropped down a perfect bunt for a base hit to put two runners on. Then a walk to Burch loaded the bases and the Patriots made a pitching change.
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Senior Briana Daiss delivered against the new pitcher with a single into left that scored both Huerta and Lee. With the two RBI, Daiss moved into a tie with Rebecca Gamby (2009-12) for eighth all-time in Marshall softball history with 105 career RBI.
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After allowing her fourth hit in the bottom of the fourth, Williamson was relieved and Tolbert came out to the circle. The first batter Tolbert faced hit a single to left that scored the fourth run of the game and gave George Mason a 4-3 lead. Following the hit, Tolbert and the Herd defense stiffened up and controlled the Patriots.
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In the top of the sixth, Daiss came through with a two-out base hit to center. Estrada was brought in to run for Daiss at first and then stole second with freshman Caitlin Myers at the plate. Myers had been brought into the game in the third for the starting catcher, senior Hayden Ellis. Myers was 0-for-2 in her first two plate appearances, but that changed when she ripped a double down the right field line for her first career hit and RBI as Estrada scored. The game was tied at 4-4.
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The defense held tight again in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Brown led off with a double down the left field line, and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Next, Harrell launched a shot to deep right field that was caught on the warning track, but allowed Brown to tag up and score on the sacrifice fly. Marshall now led 5-4.
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Tolbert sent the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh back to the dugout with strikeouts. Then, a grounder to Huerta at short ended the game and gave the Herd the win.
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Tolbert recorded five strikeouts in the final 3.2 innings to earn the victory, her 11th win of the season. Adams and Daiss both recorded two hits as the Herd finished with eight.
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Next up for Marshall, the Herd will head back out on the road March 16-17, to start Conference USA play at Charlotte. The three-game series with the 49ers starts with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 16, at 1 p.m. The final game on Sunday, March 17, is set for 12 p.m.
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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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To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
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George Mason Box Score (PDF)
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The Marshall softball team dropped its first game of the day and won the second Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Cherry Blossom Classic. The Herd fell 4-2 against Monmouth and then came from behind to defeat George Mason, 5-4.
Â
The Thundering Herd improved to 17-6. Monmouth improved as well to 7-6 and George Mason fell to 4-9.
Â
"It was not a great day for us," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "We were lucky to come away with one win today and that was a result of our fight. We certainly did not play up to our potential in any aspect today. We fought hard in both games and that is what propelled us in the second game.
Â
"Cait Myers came up big for us today with her first career hit to tie George Mason. I thought that was huge for her as a freshman to be thrown into that situation and be poised enough to execute in a high pressure situation. I was very proud of her for that."
Â
Game One: Monmouth 4, Marshall 2
The Herd offense struggled in the first game of the day. The team didn't record a hit until the fourth inning and finished the game with five. The Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead through three innings and Marshall scored two in the fourth, but could not muster anymore.
Â
Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert pitched the complete game and fell to 10-5. Tolbert recorded six strikeouts and moved ahead of Amanda Luers (2004-07) for 13th all-time in program history with 149 strikeouts.
Â
In the fourth, sophomore Armani Brown got the inning started reaching base safely on an infield error. Fellow sophomore Aly Harrell followed with a double to right and Brown scored all the way from first. Freshman Rachel Pennington entered the game to pinch run for Harrell and scored three batters later when junior Sierra Huerta hit a two-out single to center.
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Monmouth added one more run in the sixth to increase its lead to two, 4-2, and then held on the rest of the way. Marshall had an opportunity in the bottom of the seventh as senior Abigail Estrada led off with single to left, but the Herd could not find that timely hit.
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Game Two: Marshall 5, George Mason 4
Marshall had to find some toughness and fight back after committing four errors in just the first two innings.
Â
The Herd got on the board first in the top of the second. Sophomore Katie Adams led off with a double to right-center. Three batters later, junior Blakely Burch hit her third triple of the season and scored Adams.
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Marshall booted the ball around in the bottom of the second with three errors, but allowed just one run on the board to the Patriots. However, George Mason added three runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Junior pitcher Kailee Williamson who received the start, got a double play going for the first two outs after catching a line drive back to the circle, then turning and tossing to Brown covering second base.
Â
The Herd returned fire in the top of the fourth scoring two runs as well to tie the game back up at 3-3. Huerta was a hit by a pitch and then freshman Chloe Lee dropped down a perfect bunt for a base hit to put two runners on. Then a walk to Burch loaded the bases and the Patriots made a pitching change.
Â
Senior Briana Daiss delivered against the new pitcher with a single into left that scored both Huerta and Lee. With the two RBI, Daiss moved into a tie with Rebecca Gamby (2009-12) for eighth all-time in Marshall softball history with 105 career RBI.
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After allowing her fourth hit in the bottom of the fourth, Williamson was relieved and Tolbert came out to the circle. The first batter Tolbert faced hit a single to left that scored the fourth run of the game and gave George Mason a 4-3 lead. Following the hit, Tolbert and the Herd defense stiffened up and controlled the Patriots.
Â
In the top of the sixth, Daiss came through with a two-out base hit to center. Estrada was brought in to run for Daiss at first and then stole second with freshman Caitlin Myers at the plate. Myers had been brought into the game in the third for the starting catcher, senior Hayden Ellis. Myers was 0-for-2 in her first two plate appearances, but that changed when she ripped a double down the right field line for her first career hit and RBI as Estrada scored. The game was tied at 4-4.
Â
The defense held tight again in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Brown led off with a double down the left field line, and then advanced to third on a passed ball. Next, Harrell launched a shot to deep right field that was caught on the warning track, but allowed Brown to tag up and score on the sacrifice fly. Marshall now led 5-4.
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Tolbert sent the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh back to the dugout with strikeouts. Then, a grounder to Huerta at short ended the game and gave the Herd the win.
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Tolbert recorded five strikeouts in the final 3.2 innings to earn the victory, her 11th win of the season. Adams and Daiss both recorded two hits as the Herd finished with eight.
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Next up for Marshall, the Herd will head back out on the road March 16-17, to start Conference USA play at Charlotte. The three-game series with the 49ers starts with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 16, at 1 p.m. The final game on Sunday, March 17, is set for 12 p.m.
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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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To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
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---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tolbert, Abigail (11-5)
L: ANSBRO, Bekah (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Brown, Armani 1 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Myers, Caitlin 1
3B: Burch, Blakely 1
RBI: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Burch, Blakely 1 ; Daiss, Briana 2 ; Myers, Caitlin 1
SF: Harrell, Aly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brown, Armani 1 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Huerta, Sierra 1 ; Lee, Chloe 1 ; Estrada, Abigail 1
SB: Giammarino, Hannah 1 ; Pennington, Rachel 1 ; Estrada, Abigail 1
HBP: Huerta, Sierra 1
Batting:
2B: SEYMOUR, Liz 1
RBI: WELLS, Sydnee 1 ; ERICKSON, Adriana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WELLS, Sydnee 1 ; AKER, Madison 1 ; SEYMOUR, Liz 1 ; LAWTON, Alyssa 1
SB: LAWTON, Alyssa 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballMarshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
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Hype and Harmony: the Team Personality Fuels Success #softball
Thursday, April 17