Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, February 29
Norfolk, Va.
12:00 PM
Marshall University
11-5
9
vs
8
Howard University
2-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Howard
0
0
0
0
4
4
0
8
13
2
Marshall University
4
0
3
2
0
0
X
9
8
1
Herd Holds in Game One and Rallies in Game Two
2/29/2020 10:20:00 PM | Softball
Marshall has now tallied 11 home runs for the weekend
Howard Box Score (PDF)
Norfolk State Box Score (PDF)
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NORFOLK, Va. – The Marshall softball team held on to defeat the Howard Bison, 9-8, and then rallied to take down the Norfolk State Spartans, 10-6, Saturday on day two of the Pirate Classic. Marshall added four more home runs to bring its tally to 11 for the weekend. Senior Sierra Huerta has four homers in the tournament.
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The Thundering Herd improves to 12-5.
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Game One: Marshall 9, Howard 8
The Herd had to hold off a Bison squad that fought back late in the game to avoid a run-rule defeat, as Marshall pulled out the narrow 9-8 win. Junior Katie Adams set a career-high with five RBI.
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The Herd started the scoring early with four runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Aly Harrell led off with her fifth hit-by-pitch of the season. Two batters later, junior Saige Pye smacked her fourth home run of the year with a 2-run shot to center. Next, senior Sierra Huerta and junior Rachel Rousseau got on board with back-to-back singles. Junior Armani Brown loaded the bases on a fielder's choice with everyone safe. Senior Haleigh Christopher drew a bases loaded walk to bring home Huerta. Adams then got her career day started plating Rousseau.
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Marshall added three more runs in the third. Huerta and Rousseau began the inning with back-to-back singles. Christopher was walked for the second time to load the bases. Adams stepped up next and drove in Huerta and Rousseau with a single to center. Sophomore Grace Chelemen came in to run at second for Christopher. Marshall then pulled off a double steal as Chelemen took third and Adams stole second. Chelemen later scored as Lee grounded out in the infield, taking off on the throw and sliding around the tag. Marshall led 7-0.
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The Herd added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and led 9-0. Huerta led off the inning with a double to center and advanced to third on an infield ground out. Three batters later, Chelemen reached on a walk and one pitch later stole second. Adams again came through with a single to center as both Huerta and Chelemen came home to score.
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Needing just three outs to earn the run-rule victory, Howard began fighting back in the top of the fifth scoring five runs. Freshman Ashley Blessin was the starter in the circle and was pulled after allowing all four runs. Senior Kailee Williamson came in and got the last out of the inning. Marshall could not add to the five-run lead and the Bison scored four more in the sixth to cut the lead to one, 9-8.
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Junior Laney Jones entered the circle for Marshall and recorded the last out of the sixth. Marshall was held scoreless in the bottom of the sixth and Jones and the defense came back out needing to hold off the hard-charging Bison.
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A line out to Brown at second got the first out and Huerta snagged a pop up behind the circle on the second batter. Jones finished the game with a strikeout, her 40th of the year, to end the game and earn her second save in a Herd uniform.
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Harrell reached base all four times with a hit-by-pitch and three walks. It was the eighth career game for Harrell with at least three walks. Adams went 2-for-3 at the plate with a stolen base and the career-best five RBI. Huerta ended the game 3-of-4 at the plate and scored three times. Rousseau also had two hits and scored twice.
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Blessin earned the win, her fourth of the year, pitching 4.2 innings and striking out two. Williamson went one inning and Jones finished the final 1.1 innings for the save.
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Game Two: Marshall 10, Norfolk State 6
After taking an early lead, Marshall fell behind 5-2 and then 6-4, before pouring on six runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead and earn the win.
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Aly Harrell led off the first with a double to left and then Sierra Huerta continued her banner weekend with her fourth home run of the tournament. The two-run shot to left-center put the Herd up 2-0.
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Norfolk State scored a run in the second and then four more in the third to take a 3-run lead, 5-2.
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Marshall cut back into the deficit with two runs in the fourth. Grace Chelemen got a two-out rally started with a single to left and then Harrell hit a double to center that moved Chelemen to third. Huerta came up next with a single to left that brought home Chelemen. Saige Pye then hit a single to center that scored Harrell. The Herd trailed 5-4.
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The Spartans scored one more in the bottom of the fifth to put the lead back to two. The Marshall offense went down in order in the fifth and the sixth.
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However, the Herd exploded in the top of the seventh as 11 batters came to the plate and Norfolk State made two pitching changes. Huerta and Pye led off with back-to-back walks and that brought on the first pitching change. Mya Stevenson then came to plate and hit a towering shot to center for a 3-run home run to put the Herd up by one, 7-6. It was Stevenson's third home run of the weekend, seventh of the season and 27th of her career.
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Marshall wasn't done as Rachel Rousseau made it back-to-back home runs with her first of the season, bringing on another pitching change. Armani Brown was the next batter and reached on an infield single and then took second on an errant throw from the shortstop. Two batters later, a wild pitch moved Brown to third and then she scored easily on a double to left-center by Katie Adams. Chelemen kept the inning rolling along with an infield single that moved Adams to third. Next, Harrell grounded out to second but the play allowed Adams to score from third giving Marshall a four-run lead, 10-6.
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Junior Laney Jones had the start in the circle and pitched the first six innings. Jones struck out eight to tie her Marshall career-high. Ashley Blessin came on to start the bottom of the seventh and rolled through Norfolk State in order including two strikeouts for the last two outs. Jones earned her seventh win of the season.
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Marshall recorded 15 hits with Adams leading the way with three. Harrell, Huerta, Stevenson, Rousseau and Chelemen all had two hits each. Huerta and Stevenson both drove in three runs.
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The Herd returns to the field on Sunday at 12 p.m. against Norfolk State for the final game of the Pirate Classic.
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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.
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To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
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Norfolk State Box Score (PDF)
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NORFOLK, Va. – The Marshall softball team held on to defeat the Howard Bison, 9-8, and then rallied to take down the Norfolk State Spartans, 10-6, Saturday on day two of the Pirate Classic. Marshall added four more home runs to bring its tally to 11 for the weekend. Senior Sierra Huerta has four homers in the tournament.
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The Thundering Herd improves to 12-5.
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Game One: Marshall 9, Howard 8
The Herd had to hold off a Bison squad that fought back late in the game to avoid a run-rule defeat, as Marshall pulled out the narrow 9-8 win. Junior Katie Adams set a career-high with five RBI.
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The Herd started the scoring early with four runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Aly Harrell led off with her fifth hit-by-pitch of the season. Two batters later, junior Saige Pye smacked her fourth home run of the year with a 2-run shot to center. Next, senior Sierra Huerta and junior Rachel Rousseau got on board with back-to-back singles. Junior Armani Brown loaded the bases on a fielder's choice with everyone safe. Senior Haleigh Christopher drew a bases loaded walk to bring home Huerta. Adams then got her career day started plating Rousseau.
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Marshall added three more runs in the third. Huerta and Rousseau began the inning with back-to-back singles. Christopher was walked for the second time to load the bases. Adams stepped up next and drove in Huerta and Rousseau with a single to center. Sophomore Grace Chelemen came in to run at second for Christopher. Marshall then pulled off a double steal as Chelemen took third and Adams stole second. Chelemen later scored as Lee grounded out in the infield, taking off on the throw and sliding around the tag. Marshall led 7-0.
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The Herd added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and led 9-0. Huerta led off the inning with a double to center and advanced to third on an infield ground out. Three batters later, Chelemen reached on a walk and one pitch later stole second. Adams again came through with a single to center as both Huerta and Chelemen came home to score.
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Needing just three outs to earn the run-rule victory, Howard began fighting back in the top of the fifth scoring five runs. Freshman Ashley Blessin was the starter in the circle and was pulled after allowing all four runs. Senior Kailee Williamson came in and got the last out of the inning. Marshall could not add to the five-run lead and the Bison scored four more in the sixth to cut the lead to one, 9-8.
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Junior Laney Jones entered the circle for Marshall and recorded the last out of the sixth. Marshall was held scoreless in the bottom of the sixth and Jones and the defense came back out needing to hold off the hard-charging Bison.
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A line out to Brown at second got the first out and Huerta snagged a pop up behind the circle on the second batter. Jones finished the game with a strikeout, her 40th of the year, to end the game and earn her second save in a Herd uniform.
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Harrell reached base all four times with a hit-by-pitch and three walks. It was the eighth career game for Harrell with at least three walks. Adams went 2-for-3 at the plate with a stolen base and the career-best five RBI. Huerta ended the game 3-of-4 at the plate and scored three times. Rousseau also had two hits and scored twice.
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Blessin earned the win, her fourth of the year, pitching 4.2 innings and striking out two. Williamson went one inning and Jones finished the final 1.1 innings for the save.
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Game Two: Marshall 10, Norfolk State 6
After taking an early lead, Marshall fell behind 5-2 and then 6-4, before pouring on six runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead and earn the win.
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Aly Harrell led off the first with a double to left and then Sierra Huerta continued her banner weekend with her fourth home run of the tournament. The two-run shot to left-center put the Herd up 2-0.
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Norfolk State scored a run in the second and then four more in the third to take a 3-run lead, 5-2.
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Marshall cut back into the deficit with two runs in the fourth. Grace Chelemen got a two-out rally started with a single to left and then Harrell hit a double to center that moved Chelemen to third. Huerta came up next with a single to left that brought home Chelemen. Saige Pye then hit a single to center that scored Harrell. The Herd trailed 5-4.
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The Spartans scored one more in the bottom of the fifth to put the lead back to two. The Marshall offense went down in order in the fifth and the sixth.
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However, the Herd exploded in the top of the seventh as 11 batters came to the plate and Norfolk State made two pitching changes. Huerta and Pye led off with back-to-back walks and that brought on the first pitching change. Mya Stevenson then came to plate and hit a towering shot to center for a 3-run home run to put the Herd up by one, 7-6. It was Stevenson's third home run of the weekend, seventh of the season and 27th of her career.
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Marshall wasn't done as Rachel Rousseau made it back-to-back home runs with her first of the season, bringing on another pitching change. Armani Brown was the next batter and reached on an infield single and then took second on an errant throw from the shortstop. Two batters later, a wild pitch moved Brown to third and then she scored easily on a double to left-center by Katie Adams. Chelemen kept the inning rolling along with an infield single that moved Adams to third. Next, Harrell grounded out to second but the play allowed Adams to score from third giving Marshall a four-run lead, 10-6.
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Junior Laney Jones had the start in the circle and pitched the first six innings. Jones struck out eight to tie her Marshall career-high. Ashley Blessin came on to start the bottom of the seventh and rolled through Norfolk State in order including two strikeouts for the last two outs. Jones earned her seventh win of the season.
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Marshall recorded 15 hits with Adams leading the way with three. Harrell, Huerta, Stevenson, Rousseau and Chelemen all had two hits each. Huerta and Stevenson both drove in three runs.
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The Herd returns to the field on Sunday at 12 p.m. against Norfolk State for the final game of the Pirate Classic.
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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.
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To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
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---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Blessin, Ashley (4-0)
L: THOMAS,R. (0-6)
S: Jones, Laney (2)
Batting:
RBI: SIMMONS,X. 1 ; DENNIS,K. 2 ; GIBBS,T. 1 ; AGUILASOCHO, 4
Base Running:
RUNS: NAVARRO,C. 2 ; SALLEE,A. 1 ; SIMMONS,X. 2 ; DENNIS,K. 1 ; GIBBS,T. 1 ; BEARD,T. 1
SB: DENNIS,K. 1 ; TILLMAN,K. 1
HBP: BEARD,T. 1
Batting:
2B: Huerta, Sierra 1
HR: Pye, Saige 1
RBI: Pye, Saige 2 ; Christopher, Haleigh 1 ; Adams, Katie 5
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Huerta, Sierra 3 ; Rousseau, Rachel 2 ; Chelemen, Grace 2
SB: Chelemen, Grace 2 ; Adams, Katie 1
HBP: Harrell, Aly 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
5
Players Mentioned
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P
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INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
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INF
/ SoftballINF
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P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
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RHP
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