Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, March 30
Hattiesburg, Miss.
2:00 PM
Marshall University
22-11, 5-2
6
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Southern Miss
17-15, 4-6
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3
4
5
6
7
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Marshall University
1
0
0
0
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1
6
8
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Southern Miss
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1
0
1
4
1
Photo by: Adam Gue
Softball Takes the Doubleheader Sweep at Southern Miss
3/30/2019 9:33:00 PM | Softball
Series finale set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET
Game One Box Score (PDF)
Game Two Box Score (PDF)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Marshall softball team showed some more fight in coming away with two Conference USA wins over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, 6-1 and 6-3.
The Thundering Herd improved to 23-11 and 6-2 in conference play. The Golden Eagles fall to 17-16 and 4-7 in conference.
"What I loved most today was our intensity and fight literally every inning of both games," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "I feel like we have lacked that for a little bit and it was good to see them grit it out for all 14 innings today. Abbie (Tolbert) obviously had a great day today. She was on it and did a superb job in the first game and then came in for game two after KK (Kailee Williamson) gave us a good start.
"But for me the story of the day was the fight and the heart that our team has. It was great to see today."
Game One: Marshall 6, Southern Miss 1
Marshall was powered off a career-high two home runs and four RBI from senior Briana Daiss on the offensive side in the game one win. In the circle, senior Abigail Tolbert earned her 14th win of the season, struck out five and allowed just four hits. Tolbert recorded her 100th strikeout of the season as well in game one.
Senior Abigail Estrada was 3-of-4 at the plate and junior Blakely Burch was 2-for-2 but also reached on a walk and her 13th hit-by-pitch of the season. Senior Hayden Ellis reached base twice as well with a double and a walk. Sophomore Aly Harrell was walked three times for the fifth time this season.
Marshall got on the board first in the top of the first inning as Harrell drove in Burch on an infield ground out at second. Burch was at second base and scored with some aggressive running to give the Herd the early 1-0 lead. The Herd got base runners on in the second through the fourth but could not find the timely hit.
It was a pitching and defensive battle over the next seven, half-innings of play. Marshall received several great defensive efforts including a diving catch in right field from freshman Chloe Lee.
In the top of the fifth, Burch led off with a double down the left field line. Two batters later, Harrell was walked for the second time in the game to put two runners on. Daiss was brought in for a pinch hit and proceeded to crush a three-run shot to left-center. Marshall led 4-0.
Marshall added another run in the top of the fifth as Burch drove in Ellis with an RBI triple. It was the fifth triple of the season for Burch, tied for second-most in a season in program history just one away from the program-record.
Southern Miss got on the scoreboard with one run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Herd lead back to four, 5-1.
However, Daiss was left in the lineup and came back around to lead off the top of the seventh and smashed her career-high second homer of the game with a solo shot to center. It was her sixth of the season and 26th of her career.
The Herd held on defensively in the bottom of the seventh with a 3-up, 3-down inning for the win.
Game Two: Marshall 6, Southern Miss 3
The Herd fought back in the second game getting a charge from a leadoff double from Daiss in the fifth. Junior Kailee Williamson got the start and pitched the first 4.2 innings before Tolbert came on in relief with the game tied at 3-3. Tolbert finished off the game and earned her 15th win of the year.
"(Daiss) is one of those players that is fearless coming off the bench," coach Smith said. "She doesn't have any hesitation, doubt or question herself and is very comfortable coming off the bench. She did a great job today and really sparked us in game two with the double to lead us off. She had a good day today."
Marshall again relied on great defensive work through the first three innings, stranding Southern Miss runners on base each time.
The Golden Eagles scored two runs in the fourth to take the lead. Daiss then started the fifth with a double to left-center, her third extra base hit of the day, and then senior Samantha Loose came in to run. A wild pitch moved Loose to third and then a hit-by-pitch put junior Sierra Huerta at first. It was Huerta's 13th hit-by-pitch of the season as well.
Huerta stole second to move into scoring position just before senior Hannah Giammarino grounded into a fielder's choice. However, the throw home to get Loose was not in time and then got away from the catcher. Huerta came home to tie the game at 2-2 and Giammarino kept on running all the way to third. After a pitching change, sophomore Katie Adams grounded out at second, but still drove home Giammarino to give the Herd the lead.
Southern Miss scored in the bottom of the fifth and had the bases loaded when Tolbert came in and finished off the inning. The game was tied at 3-3.
In the top of the sixth, Harrell was finally allowed a chance to swing the bat and smacked a line drive home run to left. It was Harrell's 10th of the year and 21st of her young career.
The Herd received another long ball in the top of the seventh as Huerta led off the inning with a solo homer to center. It was her fourth of the year and fourth home run of the day for Marshall between the doubleheader. Giammarino later scored on a sacrifice fly to center from Burch.
Tolbert and the Herd defense closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh for the victory.
Game three is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. eastern.
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)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Marshall softball team showed some more fight in coming away with two Conference USA wins over the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, 6-1 and 6-3.
The Thundering Herd improved to 23-11 and 6-2 in conference play. The Golden Eagles fall to 17-16 and 4-7 in conference.
"What I loved most today was our intensity and fight literally every inning of both games," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "I feel like we have lacked that for a little bit and it was good to see them grit it out for all 14 innings today. Abbie (Tolbert) obviously had a great day today. She was on it and did a superb job in the first game and then came in for game two after KK (Kailee Williamson) gave us a good start.
"But for me the story of the day was the fight and the heart that our team has. It was great to see today."
Game One: Marshall 6, Southern Miss 1
Marshall was powered off a career-high two home runs and four RBI from senior Briana Daiss on the offensive side in the game one win. In the circle, senior Abigail Tolbert earned her 14th win of the season, struck out five and allowed just four hits. Tolbert recorded her 100th strikeout of the season as well in game one.
Senior Abigail Estrada was 3-of-4 at the plate and junior Blakely Burch was 2-for-2 but also reached on a walk and her 13th hit-by-pitch of the season. Senior Hayden Ellis reached base twice as well with a double and a walk. Sophomore Aly Harrell was walked three times for the fifth time this season.
Marshall got on the board first in the top of the first inning as Harrell drove in Burch on an infield ground out at second. Burch was at second base and scored with some aggressive running to give the Herd the early 1-0 lead. The Herd got base runners on in the second through the fourth but could not find the timely hit.
It was a pitching and defensive battle over the next seven, half-innings of play. Marshall received several great defensive efforts including a diving catch in right field from freshman Chloe Lee.
In the top of the fifth, Burch led off with a double down the left field line. Two batters later, Harrell was walked for the second time in the game to put two runners on. Daiss was brought in for a pinch hit and proceeded to crush a three-run shot to left-center. Marshall led 4-0.
Marshall added another run in the top of the fifth as Burch drove in Ellis with an RBI triple. It was the fifth triple of the season for Burch, tied for second-most in a season in program history just one away from the program-record.
Southern Miss got on the scoreboard with one run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Herd lead back to four, 5-1.
However, Daiss was left in the lineup and came back around to lead off the top of the seventh and smashed her career-high second homer of the game with a solo shot to center. It was her sixth of the season and 26th of her career.
The Herd held on defensively in the bottom of the seventh with a 3-up, 3-down inning for the win.
Game Two: Marshall 6, Southern Miss 3
The Herd fought back in the second game getting a charge from a leadoff double from Daiss in the fifth. Junior Kailee Williamson got the start and pitched the first 4.2 innings before Tolbert came on in relief with the game tied at 3-3. Tolbert finished off the game and earned her 15th win of the year.
"(Daiss) is one of those players that is fearless coming off the bench," coach Smith said. "She doesn't have any hesitation, doubt or question herself and is very comfortable coming off the bench. She did a great job today and really sparked us in game two with the double to lead us off. She had a good day today."
Marshall again relied on great defensive work through the first three innings, stranding Southern Miss runners on base each time.
The Golden Eagles scored two runs in the fourth to take the lead. Daiss then started the fifth with a double to left-center, her third extra base hit of the day, and then senior Samantha Loose came in to run. A wild pitch moved Loose to third and then a hit-by-pitch put junior Sierra Huerta at first. It was Huerta's 13th hit-by-pitch of the season as well.
Huerta stole second to move into scoring position just before senior Hannah Giammarino grounded into a fielder's choice. However, the throw home to get Loose was not in time and then got away from the catcher. Huerta came home to tie the game at 2-2 and Giammarino kept on running all the way to third. After a pitching change, sophomore Katie Adams grounded out at second, but still drove home Giammarino to give the Herd the lead.
Southern Miss scored in the bottom of the fifth and had the bases loaded when Tolbert came in and finished off the inning. The game was tied at 3-3.
In the top of the sixth, Harrell was finally allowed a chance to swing the bat and smacked a line drive home run to left. It was Harrell's 10th of the year and 21st of her young career.
The Herd received another long ball in the top of the seventh as Huerta led off the inning with a solo homer to center. It was her fourth of the year and fourth home run of the day for Marshall between the doubleheader. Giammarino later scored on a sacrifice fly to center from Burch.
Tolbert and the Herd defense closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh for the victory.
Game three is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. eastern.
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 (14-9)
L: Trahan (7-8)
Batting:
2B: Burch, Blakely 1 ; Ellis, Hayden 1
3B: Burch, Blakely 1
HR: Daiss, Briana 2
RBI: Burch, Blakely 1 ; Harrell, Aly 1 ; Daiss, Briana 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Burch, Blakely 2 ; Harrell, Aly 1 ; Daiss, Briana 2 ; Ellis, Hayden 1
SB: Giammarino, Hannah 1
CS: Estrada, Abigail 1
HBP: Burch, Blakely 1
Batting:
RBI: Rayner 1
SH: Sumerlin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nichols 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballMarshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
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Marshall Softball: Kaleea Washington & Brooklyn Ulrich (Post-Radford)
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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