Marshall University Athletics
Thursday, May 16
Huntington, W.Va.
3 p.m.
Marshall University
26-26, 12-15
5
vs
4
Rice
24-29, 14-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
R
H
E
Rice
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
5
1
Marshall
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
0
1
5
12
1
Photo by: Cody Linn
Baseball Erases Four-Run Deficit to Takedown Rice Thursday in 11 Innings
5/16/2019 9:20:00 PM | Baseball
The win is the first over Rice since May 8, 2010, in Charleston
Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A heads up play Geordon Blanton and a clutch single from Tucker Linder helps lead the Thundering Herd (26-26, 12-15 C-USA) past Rice (24-29, 14-14 C-USA) in a 5-4 11-inning victory on Thursday in game one of the series.
This was the first time 2013 that the two teams have met. Its MU's third win all-time over the Owls and ended an 11-game losing streak in the series.
"This is the playoffs for us," 13th-year head coach Jeff Waggoner said after today's win over Rice. "Until we get in, we're not looking at the tournament. We have to get in first. Every game is a tournament game for us."
Geordon Blanton led off the bottom of the 11th with a single to left. Erik Rodriguez was set to sacrifice himself and advance Blanton to second, but Blanton took advantage of the pitcher not going to cover third and swiping the extra base to reach third with one out.
"It was a great bunt by Erik. He was a team-player and we needed that right there," Blanton said about the play the sacrifice bunt by Rodriguez that sent him to third. "I didn't see anyone covering third and I thought I could beat the pitcher there. I don't like to play the game scared so I went for it."
After Shane Hanon fouled to first, the Owls decided to intentionally walk Elvis Peralta, Jr., and pitch to Tucker Linder. After taking a first pitch strike, Linder took a Garrett Gayle slider to right for the game winning hit to complete a four-run comeback for the win.
"In the bottom of the ninth I had a chance," Linder said after his game-winning hit. "I was in the in the outfield thinking every single pitch let me hit again and win it for us. I saw a couple of sliders and then I hit the next one to right."
Senior Joshua Shapiro started for Marshall. Shapiro went six innings, striking out six and giving up four hits and five walks. His only blemish on the day was a four-run fourth inning in his no decision.
Peralta helped the Herd begin to chip away at the lead as started the bottom of the sixth with a triple down the left-field line and Linder drove in his other RBI on the day as the next batter.
Peralta was involved in the scoring again in the bottom of the seventh as he grounded out second to score Blanton after he had a leadoff single in the inning.
Then came the bottom of the ninth with MU trailing by two with one out and Blanton at the plate. The Marshall second baseman doubled to center and Rodriguez brought him home with a double down the left-field line. Hanon then walked to have runners at first and second with one. A Peralta groundout moved the runners to second and third as Linder stepped to the plate with the Herd down 4-3 and to its final out. The Rice reliever threw a wild pitch, allowing Hanon to score and for the Herd to go to extra innings.
The comeback was also supported by an excellent effort from the Marshall bullpen of Bryan Callaly, Hunter Sexton and Michael Guerrero. The trio held Rice to just one hit and one walk in the final five innings as Guerrero picked up his third win of the season.
NOTES
- Today was Linder's fifth game of three or more hits and his ninth multi-RBI game of the season.
- Blanton collected his second three-hit game this season while scoring three of Marshall's five runs.
- The Herd is 4-2 in extra-inning games this season.
UP NEXT
Marshall will look to take the series and improve its chances to advance to the 2019 C-USA Tournament in Bilxoi, Miss., on Friday in game two against Rice with first pitch scheduled for 2 pm.
For all the latest information about Marshall baseball, follow @HerdBaseball on Twitter and @HerdBSB on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
---HerdZone.com---
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A heads up play Geordon Blanton and a clutch single from Tucker Linder helps lead the Thundering Herd (26-26, 12-15 C-USA) past Rice (24-29, 14-14 C-USA) in a 5-4 11-inning victory on Thursday in game one of the series.
This was the first time 2013 that the two teams have met. Its MU's third win all-time over the Owls and ended an 11-game losing streak in the series.
"This is the playoffs for us," 13th-year head coach Jeff Waggoner said after today's win over Rice. "Until we get in, we're not looking at the tournament. We have to get in first. Every game is a tournament game for us."
Geordon Blanton led off the bottom of the 11th with a single to left. Erik Rodriguez was set to sacrifice himself and advance Blanton to second, but Blanton took advantage of the pitcher not going to cover third and swiping the extra base to reach third with one out.
"It was a great bunt by Erik. He was a team-player and we needed that right there," Blanton said about the play the sacrifice bunt by Rodriguez that sent him to third. "I didn't see anyone covering third and I thought I could beat the pitcher there. I don't like to play the game scared so I went for it."
After Shane Hanon fouled to first, the Owls decided to intentionally walk Elvis Peralta, Jr., and pitch to Tucker Linder. After taking a first pitch strike, Linder took a Garrett Gayle slider to right for the game winning hit to complete a four-run comeback for the win.
"In the bottom of the ninth I had a chance," Linder said after his game-winning hit. "I was in the in the outfield thinking every single pitch let me hit again and win it for us. I saw a couple of sliders and then I hit the next one to right."
Senior Joshua Shapiro started for Marshall. Shapiro went six innings, striking out six and giving up four hits and five walks. His only blemish on the day was a four-run fourth inning in his no decision.
Peralta helped the Herd begin to chip away at the lead as started the bottom of the sixth with a triple down the left-field line and Linder drove in his other RBI on the day as the next batter.
Peralta was involved in the scoring again in the bottom of the seventh as he grounded out second to score Blanton after he had a leadoff single in the inning.
Then came the bottom of the ninth with MU trailing by two with one out and Blanton at the plate. The Marshall second baseman doubled to center and Rodriguez brought him home with a double down the left-field line. Hanon then walked to have runners at first and second with one. A Peralta groundout moved the runners to second and third as Linder stepped to the plate with the Herd down 4-3 and to its final out. The Rice reliever threw a wild pitch, allowing Hanon to score and for the Herd to go to extra innings.
The comeback was also supported by an excellent effort from the Marshall bullpen of Bryan Callaly, Hunter Sexton and Michael Guerrero. The trio held Rice to just one hit and one walk in the final five innings as Guerrero picked up his third win of the season.
NOTES
- Today was Linder's fifth game of three or more hits and his ninth multi-RBI game of the season.
- Blanton collected his second three-hit game this season while scoring three of Marshall's five runs.
- The Herd is 4-2 in extra-inning games this season.
UP NEXT
Marshall will look to take the series and improve its chances to advance to the 2019 C-USA Tournament in Bilxoi, Miss., on Friday in game two against Rice with first pitch scheduled for 2 pm.
For all the latest information about Marshall baseball, follow @HerdBaseball on Twitter and @HerdBSB on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Guerrero, Michael (3-1)
L: Garrett Gayle (0-3)
Batting:
HR: Andrew Dunlap 1
RBI: Trei Cruz 1 ; Andrew Dunlap 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Braden Comeaux 1 ; Trei Cruz 1 ; Andrew Dunlap 1 ; Aaron Beaulaurier 1
SB: Cade Edwards 1
CS: Dominic Cox 1
HBP: Andrew Dunlap 1
Batting:
2B: Rodriguez, Erik 1 ; Linder, Tucker 1 ; Blanton, Geordon 1
3B: Peralta Jr., Elvis 1
RBI: Rodriguez, Erik 1 ; Peralta Jr., Elvis 1 ; Linder, Tucker 2
SH: Rodriguez, Erik 2 ; Cabrera, Raul 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rodriguez, Erik 1 ; Peralta Jr., Elvis 1 ; Blanton, Geordon 3
HBP: Blanton, Geordon 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
6
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF/INF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
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