Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, March 9
Fairfax, Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
16-5
6
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1
Lafayette
1-6
1
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5
6
7
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H
E
Lafayette
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Marshall University
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6
13
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Photo by: Adam Gue
Williamson Pitches Softball to Sixth-Straight Win
3/9/2019 5:02:00 PM | Softball
Box Score (PDF)
FAIRFAX, Va. – Junior pitcher Kailee Williamson recorded seven strikeouts in leading the Marshall softball team to its sixth-straight win. The Herd defeated the Lafayette Leopards, 6-1, Saturday at the Cherry Blossom Classic, hosted by George Mason.
The Thundering Herd improved to 16-5 overall and the Leopards drop to 1-6.
"I thought KK (Williamson) really set the tone," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "She was really dominant from the beginning. Her accuracy was really on and her changeup was unbelievable today. She really set the tone today. Offensively, it took us a while to find our groove. We kept pushing and kept plugging and finally got some hits to fall. Sierra (Huerta) had a big day for us at the plate."
Junior Sierra Huerta had two hits, including her second home run of the season, and drove in two runs. Senior Hannah Giammarino recorded three hits, scored once, stole one base and drove in one run as well.
Williamson received the start in the circle, and despite allowing a hit to the first batter of the game, and dealt all seven innings. The Leopards finished with just two hits and managed just five total base runners. Senior catcher Hayden Ellis personally took care of two of those runners as they were both caught stealing. It was a career-best for Ellis with two runners thrown out in the same game.
Marshall got on the board first in the third inning ad Huerta sent a shot to the base of the fence in center, scoring sophomore Aly Harrell from second.
The Herd added three more runs in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Ellis got it going with a one-out double to left-center. Giammarino followed up with a hit to left that she turned into a double with the Lafayette defense not paying attention to the back-side runner. Sophomore Armani Brown then loaded the bases on a fielder's choice that had everyone safe. Harrell stepped up next and hit her fourth double of the season, scoring both Ellis and Giammarino. Harrell now has 19 RBI for the year. The final run of the inning came when freshman Mya Stevenson drove a pitch into left for a base hit, bringing home Brown.
After another three-up, three-down inning for Marshall on defense, Huerta crushed the third pitch of her at-bat for a solo home run to left. It was her second in a Thundering Herd uniform. Two batters later senior Briana Daiss hit a line drive to center for a base hit and then fellow senior Abigail Estrada came in to run for Daiss. Two batters later with two outs on the board, Giammarino plated Estrada with a single to left. The Herd led 6-0.
Lafayette scored its lone run in the top of the seventh, but Williamson got the final batter to pop out to junior third baseman Blakely Burch for the game-ender.
Due to soggy field conditions from the snow on Friday, Marshall's second game of the day on Saturday has been moved to Sunday. The Herd will now play a doubleheader on the final day of the Cherry Blossom Classic. Marshall is set to play the Monmouth Hawks at 10 a.m., and then against George Mason at 12:15 p.m.
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!
FAIRFAX, Va. – Junior pitcher Kailee Williamson recorded seven strikeouts in leading the Marshall softball team to its sixth-straight win. The Herd defeated the Lafayette Leopards, 6-1, Saturday at the Cherry Blossom Classic, hosted by George Mason.
The Thundering Herd improved to 16-5 overall and the Leopards drop to 1-6.
"I thought KK (Williamson) really set the tone," Herd head coach Megan Smith said. "She was really dominant from the beginning. Her accuracy was really on and her changeup was unbelievable today. She really set the tone today. Offensively, it took us a while to find our groove. We kept pushing and kept plugging and finally got some hits to fall. Sierra (Huerta) had a big day for us at the plate."
Junior Sierra Huerta had two hits, including her second home run of the season, and drove in two runs. Senior Hannah Giammarino recorded three hits, scored once, stole one base and drove in one run as well.
Williamson received the start in the circle, and despite allowing a hit to the first batter of the game, and dealt all seven innings. The Leopards finished with just two hits and managed just five total base runners. Senior catcher Hayden Ellis personally took care of two of those runners as they were both caught stealing. It was a career-best for Ellis with two runners thrown out in the same game.
Marshall got on the board first in the third inning ad Huerta sent a shot to the base of the fence in center, scoring sophomore Aly Harrell from second.
The Herd added three more runs in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Ellis got it going with a one-out double to left-center. Giammarino followed up with a hit to left that she turned into a double with the Lafayette defense not paying attention to the back-side runner. Sophomore Armani Brown then loaded the bases on a fielder's choice that had everyone safe. Harrell stepped up next and hit her fourth double of the season, scoring both Ellis and Giammarino. Harrell now has 19 RBI for the year. The final run of the inning came when freshman Mya Stevenson drove a pitch into left for a base hit, bringing home Brown.
After another three-up, three-down inning for Marshall on defense, Huerta crushed the third pitch of her at-bat for a solo home run to left. It was her second in a Thundering Herd uniform. Two batters later senior Briana Daiss hit a line drive to center for a base hit and then fellow senior Abigail Estrada came in to run for Daiss. Two batters later with two outs on the board, Giammarino plated Estrada with a single to left. The Herd led 6-0.
Lafayette scored its lone run in the top of the seventh, but Williamson got the final batter to pop out to junior third baseman Blakely Burch for the game-ender.
Due to soggy field conditions from the snow on Friday, Marshall's second game of the day on Saturday has been moved to Sunday. The Herd will now play a doubleheader on the final day of the Cherry Blossom Classic. Marshall is set to play the Monmouth Hawks at 10 a.m., and then against George Mason at 12:15 p.m.
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: Williamson, Kailee (5-0)
L: H. Cook (0-1)
Batting:
2B: M. Wensel 1
RBI: M. Wensel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: P. Grover 1
CS: N. Miner 1 ; E. Hanson 1
Batting:
2B: Giammarino, Hannah 1 ; Harrell, Aly 1 ; Ellis, Hayden 1
HR: Huerta, Sierra 1
RBI: Giammarino, Hannah 1 ; Harrell, Aly 2 ; Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Huerta, Sierra 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Giammarino, Hannah 1 ; Brown, Armani 1 ; Harrell, Aly 1 ; Huerta, Sierra 1 ; Estrada, Abigail 1 ; Ellis, Hayden 1
SB: Giammarino, Hannah 1 ; Burch, Blakely 1
CS: Stevenson, Mya 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
RHP
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