Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, March 23
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
20-8, 3-1
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UTSA
14-13, 5-2
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Marshall University
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Photo by: Adam Gue
Softball Pitches Two Shutouts in Saturday Doubleheader with UTSA
3/23/2019 7:26:00 PM | Softball
Herd now 4-1 in Conference USA play
Game One Box Score (PDF)
Game Two Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team defeated the UTSA Roadrunners, 5-0 and 7-0, Saturday at Dot Hicks Field. Pitchers Abigail Tolbert and Kailee Williamson each pitched complete games for the shutout victories.
The Thundering Herd improved to 21-8 overall and 4-1 in Conference USA. The Roadrunners fell to 14-14 overall and 5-3 in conference action.
"I am really proud of our team," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "We were really sharp in every aspect today. We came through with some clutch hits and our pitching was stellar. I was really proud of our pitchers because UTSA has a really potent offense with a lot of power and I felt that both of our pitchers handled them extremely well and our defense was solid.
"Great day in all aspects and we have to come out tomorrow prepared for them to fight back and we just have to fight harder."
Game One: Marshall 5, UTSA 0
Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert was just two outs away from her first career no-hitter in the seventh before a single into center. However, Tolbert earned her career-best 13th win of the season in the complete-game, one-hitter. She finished with seven strikeouts as well and the defense made great plays behind her.
Offensively, Marshall finished with just five hits but made each one count. The Herd got on the board first in the second inning as sophomore Katie Adams recorded the first hit for either team with a single to right. Junior Sierra Huerta followed up with her third home run of the season to left-center to give Marshall a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth the Herd scored three more to build up the 5-0 advantage. With two outs, Huerta drew a walk, her 15th of the season. Senior Briana Daiss stepped up next with a double to left that scored Huerta all the way from first. Freshman Chloe Lee was brought in to run at second for Daiss, but there was no need for the extra speed as junior Blakely Burch muscled out a two-run homer to left. It was Burch's third home run of the season and the 30th of the year for Marshall.
After a pitching change for UTSA, senior Hayden Ellis hit a single to center giving her a hit in a career-high five-straight games.
The Roadrunners threatened in the seventh with two runners on but Tolbert got the final batter to pop out to Huerta at short.
Game Two: Marshall 7, UTSA 0
Junior pitcher Kailee Williamson went the distance in the second game of the doubleheader for her seventh win of the year. Williamson allowed seven hits, all singles, but struck out a career-high nine batters and the defense again made some great plays to get out of innings.
Marshall got things going on the offensive side in the bottom of the first. Senior Hannah Giammarino recorded the first of her two hits with a leadoff single to left. Huerta followed with another single to left. Two batters later, freshman Mya Stevenson hit a sacrifice fly to right-center that scored Giammarino. Huerta later crossed the plate on an infield error that allowed Daiss to reach first base safely and keep the inning going. The Herd led 2-0.
Marshall put up two more runs in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Burch led off with her 10th hit-by-pitch of the year. Burch along with Huerta and sophomore Aly Harrell are all ranked in the top 10 in the country in hit-by-pitches per game. Ellis came up behind Burch with a single to left increasing her hitting streak to six games. Ellis then stole second and sophomore Armani Brown drove in Burch with an infield single. Giammarino kept it going with another single to left that scored Ellis.
The Herd scored its final three runs in the third. Stevenson led off with a walk and then trotted home two batters later when Daiss smacked her 24th career home run out to left, eighth all-time in team history. Burch was then walked and scored two batters later after Brown hit a double to left.
The defense came through with a double play in the sixth to help take away a chance for UTSA. After getting the leadoff batter on with a single to right-center, the next hitter sent a grounder to Brown at second, who flipped to Huerta coming over from short, and then turned and made the throw to Harrell at first in time for the 4-6-3 double play. Williamson finished the inning with her seventh strikeout.
UTSA put one runner on base with a two-out walk in the seventh, but Williamson closed out the game with her ninth strikeout, and the fifth strikeout looking.
Marshall tied a season-high with five stolen bases in the game two win. Giammarino recorded two, and leads the team with 12.
The series finale is set for a 12 p.m., first pitch on Sunday.
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!
Game Two Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team defeated the UTSA Roadrunners, 5-0 and 7-0, Saturday at Dot Hicks Field. Pitchers Abigail Tolbert and Kailee Williamson each pitched complete games for the shutout victories.
The Thundering Herd improved to 21-8 overall and 4-1 in Conference USA. The Roadrunners fell to 14-14 overall and 5-3 in conference action.
"I am really proud of our team," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "We were really sharp in every aspect today. We came through with some clutch hits and our pitching was stellar. I was really proud of our pitchers because UTSA has a really potent offense with a lot of power and I felt that both of our pitchers handled them extremely well and our defense was solid.
"Great day in all aspects and we have to come out tomorrow prepared for them to fight back and we just have to fight harder."
Game One: Marshall 5, UTSA 0
Senior pitcher Abigail Tolbert was just two outs away from her first career no-hitter in the seventh before a single into center. However, Tolbert earned her career-best 13th win of the season in the complete-game, one-hitter. She finished with seven strikeouts as well and the defense made great plays behind her.
Offensively, Marshall finished with just five hits but made each one count. The Herd got on the board first in the second inning as sophomore Katie Adams recorded the first hit for either team with a single to right. Junior Sierra Huerta followed up with her third home run of the season to left-center to give Marshall a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth the Herd scored three more to build up the 5-0 advantage. With two outs, Huerta drew a walk, her 15th of the season. Senior Briana Daiss stepped up next with a double to left that scored Huerta all the way from first. Freshman Chloe Lee was brought in to run at second for Daiss, but there was no need for the extra speed as junior Blakely Burch muscled out a two-run homer to left. It was Burch's third home run of the season and the 30th of the year for Marshall.
After a pitching change for UTSA, senior Hayden Ellis hit a single to center giving her a hit in a career-high five-straight games.
The Roadrunners threatened in the seventh with two runners on but Tolbert got the final batter to pop out to Huerta at short.
Game Two: Marshall 7, UTSA 0
Junior pitcher Kailee Williamson went the distance in the second game of the doubleheader for her seventh win of the year. Williamson allowed seven hits, all singles, but struck out a career-high nine batters and the defense again made some great plays to get out of innings.
Marshall got things going on the offensive side in the bottom of the first. Senior Hannah Giammarino recorded the first of her two hits with a leadoff single to left. Huerta followed with another single to left. Two batters later, freshman Mya Stevenson hit a sacrifice fly to right-center that scored Giammarino. Huerta later crossed the plate on an infield error that allowed Daiss to reach first base safely and keep the inning going. The Herd led 2-0.
Marshall put up two more runs in the second to take a 4-0 lead. Burch led off with her 10th hit-by-pitch of the year. Burch along with Huerta and sophomore Aly Harrell are all ranked in the top 10 in the country in hit-by-pitches per game. Ellis came up behind Burch with a single to left increasing her hitting streak to six games. Ellis then stole second and sophomore Armani Brown drove in Burch with an infield single. Giammarino kept it going with another single to left that scored Ellis.
The Herd scored its final three runs in the third. Stevenson led off with a walk and then trotted home two batters later when Daiss smacked her 24th career home run out to left, eighth all-time in team history. Burch was then walked and scored two batters later after Brown hit a double to left.
The defense came through with a double play in the sixth to help take away a chance for UTSA. After getting the leadoff batter on with a single to right-center, the next hitter sent a grounder to Brown at second, who flipped to Huerta coming over from short, and then turned and made the throw to Harrell at first in time for the 4-6-3 double play. Williamson finished the inning with her seventh strikeout.
UTSA put one runner on base with a two-out walk in the seventh, but Williamson closed out the game with her ninth strikeout, and the fifth strikeout looking.
Marshall tied a season-high with five stolen bases in the game two win. Giammarino recorded two, and leads the team with 12.
The series finale is set for a 12 p.m., first pitch on Sunday.
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 (13-6)
L: NELSON, Madison (6-7)
Base Running:
HBP: GRUNBERG, Riley 1 ; COERVER, Lauren 1
Batting:
2B: Daiss, Briana 1
HR: Huerta, Sierra 1 ; Burch, Blakely 1
RBI: Huerta, Sierra 2 ; Daiss, Briana 1 ; Burch, Blakely 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Adams, Katie 1 ; Huerta, Sierra 2 ; Lee, Chloe 1 ; Burch, Blakely 1
CS: Lee, Chloe 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballMarshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
Friday, May 02
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