Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, March 16
Charlotte, N.C.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
18-6, 0
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Charlotte
8-13, 0
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Marshall
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Charlotte
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Photo by: Adam Gue
Stevenson Powers Herd to Doubleheader Win at Charlotte
3/16/2019 7:36:00 PM | Softball
Freshman hits for the cycle in game one and then drives in seven runs in game two
CHARLOTTE – Freshman Mya Stevenson had a career day as the Marshall softball team defeated the Charlotte 49ers, 7-5 and 13-0, Saturday afternoon. Stevenson recorded the first ever cycle in program history in game one and then drove in seven runs in the game two victory. The freshman finished the day with a slugging percentage of 2.571 and a 1.000 on base percentage. She also combined for seven hits and nine RBI.
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The Thundering Herd improved to 19-6 and 2-0 in Conference USA action. The 49ers fall to 8-14 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
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"How impressive was Mya today," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "She was unbelievable at the plate. Out fight and out gritty, we were really gritty in both games and came out of that tough first game and sent a message in the second game. Hannah (Giammarino) really set the tone with that first at bat and I felt that KK (Kailee Williamson) was in control. We had a good day today pretty much in every aspect.
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"But it was good to see our offense put so much pressure on their defense and come up with some big clutch hits today."
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Game One: Marshall 7, Charlotte 5
The Herd's offense produced nine hits and the defense made the plays when they needed, and held on for the win in a wild game one. Stevenson came through with the cycle hitting first a triple, a single, then a 2-run HR and finally a double in the seventh.
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Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert earned her 12th win of the season, matching her career-high, and junior pitcher Kailee Williamson recorded her second save of the season as well.
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Marshall got the scoring started in the second inning as Stevenson ripped her first career triple down the right field line. Two batters later, Stevenson scored on an infield error with Daiss reaching base safely. The 49ers tied the game in the bottom of the second.
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The Herd responded with two more runs in the top of the third. Senior Hannah Giammarino led off the inning reaching on an error. Two batters later, sophomore Aly Harrell crushed her seventh home run of the season to center. It was also Harrell's 18th of her career. In the bottom of the third, Charlotte answered again with two more runs and the score was tied at 3-3.
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In the fourth, junior Blakely Burch led off with her fourth triple of the season. After a walk to senior Hayden Ellis, freshman Chloe Lee plated Burch on a ground out to short. Marshall took the lead at 4-3.
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The Herd increased its lead to three in the top of the fifth as Stevenson belted her seventh homer of the year that brought home Harrell. It was also the 24th home run of the season for the Thundering Herd, matching the season total from a year ago.
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Charlotte made it a one run ball game in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs to bring the score to 6-5.
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In the seventh, Stevenson led off with a double into left to complete the cycle. Junior Sierra Huerta moved Stevenson to third with a sacrifice bunt. Ellis then drove in Stevenson with a single into center. Marshall's defense held on for a 3-up 3-down inning in the bottom of the seventh to take the game one victory.
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Five of the Herd's nine hits went for extra bases.
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Game Two: Marshall 13, Charlotte 0 (5 innings)
Stevenson and the Herd offense heated up even more in the game two, thundering out 13 runs on 13 hits. Marshall scored four in the first, three in the second, three in the third and three more in the fifth.
Williamson moved to 6-0 for the year with the win. It was the fourth time this season that Williamson received at least 10 runs of support from her offense.
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Stevenson went 3-for-3 at the plate with a three-run homer and two, two-RBI doubles. She was walked the fourth time she stepped to the plate.
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Giammarino led off the game with a solo home run on just the third pitch of the contest. It was the senior's fourth homer of the year. Sophomore Armani Brown followed up with an infield single and then Harrell was walked. Stevenson delivered with a big blast to left on the first pitch of her at-bat for the three-run jack that put Marshall up 4-0.
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In the second, senior Abigail Estrada got the game going with an infield single and then Giammarino reached with an infield single as well. Brown used the sacrifice bunt to move both runners over and then Charlotte opted to give the intentional walk to Harrell to load the bases. Stevenson again came through with a two-run double to left-center that scored Estrada and Giammarino. Two batters later, Burch drove in Harrell and Marshall took a commanding 7-0 lead.
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The offense kept right on rolling in the third as Ellis reached on a leadoff walk, Estrada recorded her second hit, and then Giammarino smacked her third hit of the game to load the bases. Two batters later, Harrell grounded out to short but drove in Ellis. Then Stevenson kept her hot bat going with another two-run double to right-center, scoring Estrada and Giammarino again. Marshall now led 10-0.
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The Herd was kept off the scoreboard for the first time in the fourth inning, despite base hits from both Daiss and Ellis.
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Charlotte got its first hit and base runners of the game in the bottom of the fourth, but a pop out to Huerta at short stranded both runners.
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Marshall's offense took advantage of back-to-back walks and then back-to-back errors to put up three more runs in the top of the fifth. With two out, Harrell was walked for the third time in the game and 23rd of the season. Stevenson stepped up next and this time was walked. Freshmen Rachel Pennington and Chloe Lee both entered to pinch run for Harrell and Stevenson. Huerta recorded her second hit of the game with a single down the left field line that scored Pennington. Burch and Daiss both got on from the infield errors that allowed Lee and Huerta to score.
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Charlotte put two more runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, but Huerta snagged a hard line drive shot for the final out of the game.
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Giammarino and Stevenson both recorded three hits and Stevenson recorded the second most RBI in a single game in program history with seven. Just one short of the record of eight held by Shaelynn Braxton at Northern Kentucky in 2014. Huerta and Estrada finished with two hits each and Estrada had a sliding catch in left field in the third.
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The series finale is set for Sunday, with a 12 p.m. ET first pitch.
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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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The Thundering Herd improved to 19-6 and 2-0 in Conference USA action. The 49ers fall to 8-14 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
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"How impressive was Mya today," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "She was unbelievable at the plate. Out fight and out gritty, we were really gritty in both games and came out of that tough first game and sent a message in the second game. Hannah (Giammarino) really set the tone with that first at bat and I felt that KK (Kailee Williamson) was in control. We had a good day today pretty much in every aspect.
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"But it was good to see our offense put so much pressure on their defense and come up with some big clutch hits today."
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Game One: Marshall 7, Charlotte 5
The Herd's offense produced nine hits and the defense made the plays when they needed, and held on for the win in a wild game one. Stevenson came through with the cycle hitting first a triple, a single, then a 2-run HR and finally a double in the seventh.
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Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert earned her 12th win of the season, matching her career-high, and junior pitcher Kailee Williamson recorded her second save of the season as well.
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Marshall got the scoring started in the second inning as Stevenson ripped her first career triple down the right field line. Two batters later, Stevenson scored on an infield error with Daiss reaching base safely. The 49ers tied the game in the bottom of the second.
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The Herd responded with two more runs in the top of the third. Senior Hannah Giammarino led off the inning reaching on an error. Two batters later, sophomore Aly Harrell crushed her seventh home run of the season to center. It was also Harrell's 18th of her career. In the bottom of the third, Charlotte answered again with two more runs and the score was tied at 3-3.
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In the fourth, junior Blakely Burch led off with her fourth triple of the season. After a walk to senior Hayden Ellis, freshman Chloe Lee plated Burch on a ground out to short. Marshall took the lead at 4-3.
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The Herd increased its lead to three in the top of the fifth as Stevenson belted her seventh homer of the year that brought home Harrell. It was also the 24th home run of the season for the Thundering Herd, matching the season total from a year ago.
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Charlotte made it a one run ball game in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs to bring the score to 6-5.
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In the seventh, Stevenson led off with a double into left to complete the cycle. Junior Sierra Huerta moved Stevenson to third with a sacrifice bunt. Ellis then drove in Stevenson with a single into center. Marshall's defense held on for a 3-up 3-down inning in the bottom of the seventh to take the game one victory.
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Five of the Herd's nine hits went for extra bases.
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Game Two: Marshall 13, Charlotte 0 (5 innings)
Stevenson and the Herd offense heated up even more in the game two, thundering out 13 runs on 13 hits. Marshall scored four in the first, three in the second, three in the third and three more in the fifth.
Williamson moved to 6-0 for the year with the win. It was the fourth time this season that Williamson received at least 10 runs of support from her offense.
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Stevenson went 3-for-3 at the plate with a three-run homer and two, two-RBI doubles. She was walked the fourth time she stepped to the plate.
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Giammarino led off the game with a solo home run on just the third pitch of the contest. It was the senior's fourth homer of the year. Sophomore Armani Brown followed up with an infield single and then Harrell was walked. Stevenson delivered with a big blast to left on the first pitch of her at-bat for the three-run jack that put Marshall up 4-0.
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In the second, senior Abigail Estrada got the game going with an infield single and then Giammarino reached with an infield single as well. Brown used the sacrifice bunt to move both runners over and then Charlotte opted to give the intentional walk to Harrell to load the bases. Stevenson again came through with a two-run double to left-center that scored Estrada and Giammarino. Two batters later, Burch drove in Harrell and Marshall took a commanding 7-0 lead.
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The offense kept right on rolling in the third as Ellis reached on a leadoff walk, Estrada recorded her second hit, and then Giammarino smacked her third hit of the game to load the bases. Two batters later, Harrell grounded out to short but drove in Ellis. Then Stevenson kept her hot bat going with another two-run double to right-center, scoring Estrada and Giammarino again. Marshall now led 10-0.
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The Herd was kept off the scoreboard for the first time in the fourth inning, despite base hits from both Daiss and Ellis.
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Charlotte got its first hit and base runners of the game in the bottom of the fourth, but a pop out to Huerta at short stranded both runners.
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Marshall's offense took advantage of back-to-back walks and then back-to-back errors to put up three more runs in the top of the fifth. With two out, Harrell was walked for the third time in the game and 23rd of the season. Stevenson stepped up next and this time was walked. Freshmen Rachel Pennington and Chloe Lee both entered to pinch run for Harrell and Stevenson. Huerta recorded her second hit of the game with a single down the left field line that scored Pennington. Burch and Daiss both got on from the infield errors that allowed Lee and Huerta to score.
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Charlotte put two more runners on base in the bottom of the fifth, but Huerta snagged a hard line drive shot for the final out of the game.
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Giammarino and Stevenson both recorded three hits and Stevenson recorded the second most RBI in a single game in program history with seven. Just one short of the record of eight held by Shaelynn Braxton at Northern Kentucky in 2014. Huerta and Estrada finished with two hits each and Estrada had a sliding catch in left field in the third.
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The series finale is set for Sunday, with a 12 p.m. ET first pitch.
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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 (12-5)
L: GREEN, Alison (0-2)
S: Williamson, Kailee (2)
Batting:
2B: Stevenson, Mya 1
3B: Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Burch, Blakely 1
HR: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 1
RBI: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Stevenson, Mya 2 ; Ellis, Hayden 1 ; Lee, Chloe 1
SH: Huerta, Sierra 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Giammarino, Hannah 1 ; Harrell, Aly 1 ; Loose, Samantha 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 3 ; Burch, Blakely 1
CS: Giammarino, Hannah 1 ; Adams, Katie 1
HBP: Huerta, Sierra 1 ; Burch, Blakely 1
Batting:
2B: HARRIS, Meredith 1
RBI: HARRIS, Meredith 2 ; VANNOY, Bailey 1 ; ROCHELLE, Imani 1
SH: DOTY, Bethany 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BERRIER, Kiersten 1 ; GRAY, Spenser 1 ; OCKER, Emma 1 ; MANRING, Katie 1 ; VANNOY, Bailey 1
SB: ROCHELLE, Imani 1
HBP: HARRIS, Meredith 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
4
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballP
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
RHP
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