Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, May 18
Huntington, W.Va.
11 a.m.
Marshall University
28-26, 14-15
5
vs
4
Rice
24-31, 14-16
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Rice
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
1
4
6
1
Marshall
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
5
10
2
Photo by: Rick Haye
Seniors Shine on Senior Day in Sweep of Rice; Earn Sixth Seed and Will Face LA Tech in Game One of 2019 C-USA Tournament
5/18/2019 6:28:00 PM | Baseball
Marshall completes its first C-USA sweep of 2019 with third straight walk-off
Box Score
Bracket
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall baseball team (28-26, 14-15) used an Erik Rodriguez walk-off single, one of five RBI from seniors on Senior Day, to win Saturday afternoon, 5-4, and seal a series sweep of the Rice Owls at the Kennedy Center. MU won the series with three consecutive walk offs.
"It starts with Senior Day today," 13th-year head coach Jeff Waggoner said after today's win. "I'm so proud of the seniors, the years they've given to Marshall University and for getting their degrees. They're getting a chance to win a championship like some did their freshman year. This team just showed how tough and resilient they are. Hopefully this momentum carries into the tournament."
Heading to the bottom of the eighth, Marshal trailed 3-1. Rodriguez began the inning with a leadoff single through the left side and then stole second. A pair of outs with the next two batters, brought Tucker Linder to the plate. On Linder's first pitch he smacked a single to score Rodriguez and he advanced to second on the throw. Reynaldo Pastrana then stepped in the box and then smoked a 2-1 pitch to right center for a RBI double to tie the game 3-3.
D'Andre Knight, who threw a scoreless eighth, came back out to throw the ninth. After a walk, an error on a sacrifice bunt, and a fielder's choice on another sac bunt, the Owls regained the lead 4-3 as the run against Knight went down as unearned.
"I want to thank Coach Waggoner for giving me the opportunity and for my teammates keeping us in the game. I was able to capitalize on the opportunity and help the team out," Zban said about his game tying home run.
Andrew Zban led off the ninth as MU trailed. After watching a ball go by on the first pitch, he hit a no-doubt about it home run over the right-field fence to tie the game.
"It was awesome," Rodriguez said about helping the Herd get the sweep with his walk off single. "I got it done for the team. It was a great opportunity for me to do that. After the last two days, I didn't want today to be the exception. It was a team effort."
Luke Edwards followed up with a single through the left side, then was sacrificed over to second on a bunt from Geordon Blanton. Rodriguez then came to the plate with the winning run on second. After seeing a first pitch ball, fouling off five pitches and seeing another ball, the count sat at 2-2. Rodriguez then took the eighth pitch of the at bat up the middle to score Edwards and clinch the sweep.
"It feels great. I've been waiting two years to go to the Conference USA Tournament and represent Marshall University, especially for my teammates. It's everything I've wanted," Rodriguez said about reaching the C-USA Tournament.
However, despite the let inning heroics, the Herd's first run came in the first inning on a one-out solo shot by Shane Hanon.
The Marshall pitching staff had another great day on the bump.
Ryan Capuano started the game for MU going three and two-thirds inning, giving up just two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks while striking out three Owls.
Then the combination of Philip Hoffman, Ryan Falls, Hunter Sexton, Garett Priestley and Knight gave up just two runs, only one earned, with just three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in the final five and a third innings. Hoffman had three strikeouts for his three outs out of the pen.
NOTES
- The Herd clinched its first season of at least .500 since 2016.
- Marshall had just two wins in the all-time series against Rice before sweeping the Owls.
- 28 wins are the third most in a season in program history.
- MU went 17-7 at 'The Deuce' on Route 2 (Kennedy Center) this season, 17-9 in home games including a pair of contests at Appalachian Power Park.
- Hanon's home run was his sixth of the season and second of the week.
- Zban's solo blast was his fourth of the season.
- Knight picked up his fourth win of the season.
UP NEXT
Marshall will be the sixth seed at the 2019 C-USA Tournament and will face third-seeded Louisiana Tech at 10 a.m. EST/9 a.m. CST on Wednesday.
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---
Bracket
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall baseball team (28-26, 14-15) used an Erik Rodriguez walk-off single, one of five RBI from seniors on Senior Day, to win Saturday afternoon, 5-4, and seal a series sweep of the Rice Owls at the Kennedy Center. MU won the series with three consecutive walk offs.
"It starts with Senior Day today," 13th-year head coach Jeff Waggoner said after today's win. "I'm so proud of the seniors, the years they've given to Marshall University and for getting their degrees. They're getting a chance to win a championship like some did their freshman year. This team just showed how tough and resilient they are. Hopefully this momentum carries into the tournament."
Heading to the bottom of the eighth, Marshal trailed 3-1. Rodriguez began the inning with a leadoff single through the left side and then stole second. A pair of outs with the next two batters, brought Tucker Linder to the plate. On Linder's first pitch he smacked a single to score Rodriguez and he advanced to second on the throw. Reynaldo Pastrana then stepped in the box and then smoked a 2-1 pitch to right center for a RBI double to tie the game 3-3.
D'Andre Knight, who threw a scoreless eighth, came back out to throw the ninth. After a walk, an error on a sacrifice bunt, and a fielder's choice on another sac bunt, the Owls regained the lead 4-3 as the run against Knight went down as unearned.
"I want to thank Coach Waggoner for giving me the opportunity and for my teammates keeping us in the game. I was able to capitalize on the opportunity and help the team out," Zban said about his game tying home run.
Andrew Zban led off the ninth as MU trailed. After watching a ball go by on the first pitch, he hit a no-doubt about it home run over the right-field fence to tie the game.
"It was awesome," Rodriguez said about helping the Herd get the sweep with his walk off single. "I got it done for the team. It was a great opportunity for me to do that. After the last two days, I didn't want today to be the exception. It was a team effort."
Luke Edwards followed up with a single through the left side, then was sacrificed over to second on a bunt from Geordon Blanton. Rodriguez then came to the plate with the winning run on second. After seeing a first pitch ball, fouling off five pitches and seeing another ball, the count sat at 2-2. Rodriguez then took the eighth pitch of the at bat up the middle to score Edwards and clinch the sweep.
"It feels great. I've been waiting two years to go to the Conference USA Tournament and represent Marshall University, especially for my teammates. It's everything I've wanted," Rodriguez said about reaching the C-USA Tournament.
However, despite the let inning heroics, the Herd's first run came in the first inning on a one-out solo shot by Shane Hanon.
The Marshall pitching staff had another great day on the bump.
Ryan Capuano started the game for MU going three and two-thirds inning, giving up just two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks while striking out three Owls.
Then the combination of Philip Hoffman, Ryan Falls, Hunter Sexton, Garett Priestley and Knight gave up just two runs, only one earned, with just three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in the final five and a third innings. Hoffman had three strikeouts for his three outs out of the pen.
NOTES
- The Herd clinched its first season of at least .500 since 2016.
- Marshall had just two wins in the all-time series against Rice before sweeping the Owls.
- 28 wins are the third most in a season in program history.
- MU went 17-7 at 'The Deuce' on Route 2 (Kennedy Center) this season, 17-9 in home games including a pair of contests at Appalachian Power Park.
- Hanon's home run was his sixth of the season and second of the week.
- Zban's solo blast was his fourth of the season.
- Knight picked up his fourth win of the season.
UP NEXT
Marshall will be the sixth seed at the 2019 C-USA Tournament and will face third-seeded Louisiana Tech at 10 a.m. EST/9 a.m. CST on Wednesday.
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: Knight, D'Andre (4-5)
L: Kendal Jefferies (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Bradley Gneiting 1 ; Trei Cruz 1
HR: Justin Collins 1
RBI: Trei Cruz 1 ; Justin Collins 1 ; Aaron Beaulaurier 1
SH: Antonio Cruz 1 ; Aaron Beaulaurier 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Braden Comeaux 1 ; Bradley Gneiting 1 ; Justin Collins 1 ; Dominic Cox 1
Batting:
2B: Pastrana, Reynaldo 1
HR: Hanon, Shane 1 ; Zban, Andrew 1
RBI: Rodriguez, Erik 1 ; Hanon, Shane 1 ; Linder, Tucker 1 ; Pastrana, Reynaldo 1 ; Zban, Andrew 1
SH: Blanton, Geordon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rodriguez, Erik 1 ; Hanon, Shane 1 ; Linder, Tucker 1 ; Zban, Andrew 1 ; Edwards, Luke 1
SB: Rodriguez, Erik 2 ; Pastrana, Reynaldo 1
CS: Peralta Jr., Elvis 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
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RHP
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INF/OF
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LHP
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OF
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RHP
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RHP
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OF/INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
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OF
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