Marshall University Athletics
Wednesday, March 11
Lexington, KY
6:00 PM
Marshall University
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University of Kentucky
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Photo by: Lori Thompson
Offense Explodes but Late Struggles Doom Softball in Loss at No. 11 Kentucky
3/11/2020 11:12:00 PM | Softball
Herd ties single-game record with five home runs and two grand slams
Box Score (PDF)
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Marshall softball team got off to a fast start, but ultimately could not hang on falling to the 11th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, 16-15, Wednesday night at John Cropp Stadium.
The Thundering Herd dropped to 18-7 and the Wildcats improved to 20-4.
Marshall tied two single-game records with five home runs and two grand slams. The 15 runs were the fourth-most scored in a game in program history. The teams were both ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in runs per game combining for 31 runs, 27 hits and 55 total base runners. Both teams used five different pitchers, combined for 348 pitches and the game lasted three hours and 16 minutes.
The Herd's offense got rolling right from the start as senior Sierra Huerta hit a one-out single to left and then scored easily when junior Saige Pye hit a two-run home run to left. Two batters later, junior Katie Adams improved her hitting streak to 10 games with a solo homer to center, her third of the season. Kentucky scored two in the bottom of the first and Marshall led 3-2.
Nine batters came to the plate for the Herd in the top of the second, totaling three more runs. Sophomore Grace Chelemen led off with her first career home run to left-center. She became the ninth player to hit one out of the park this year for Marshall and it was the third of the game for the Herd. Junior Rachel Rousseau kept it going with a double and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from junior Armani Brown. Two batters later, Huerta was plunked for the sixth time this season leading to Pye coming back to the plate. Pye ripped a single to right that scored Rousseau and moved Huerta to second. A wild pitch put both in scoring position before sophomore Mya Stevenson drew a walk. Adams then reached on an infield error that brought home Huerta.
Marshall kept piling on the early runs as Pye lifted a towering shot to left for a grand slam that brought home Rousseau, Brown and Harrell. It was the first career game with two home runs for Pye and the fourth homer of the contest for the Herd. Kentucky scored two more in the bottom of the third, but Marshall led 10-4.
The Herd scored five more runs, all on two outs in the top of the fourth. Adams began the inning with a walk and sophomore Rachel Pennington came in to run. Three batters later, with two outs, Rousseau drew her second walk of the game to put two on base. Brown got on board with an infield single to load the bases. Harrell then kept the inning going off an error at third that brought home Pennington. Next, Huerta came to plate and belted a towering grand slam to left. It was her ninth home run of the year, second grand slam of the day and fifth home run for Marshall. The Herd led 15-4.
The Wildcats began to show why they have one of the best offenses in the country as the comeback started in the bottom of the fourth with two runs. UK scored four more in the fifth and six in the sixth to take the one-run lead. Marshall was retired in order in the top of the seventh, the first time all game that featured a 1-2-3 inning.
Pye was 4-of-5 at the plate and drove in a career-high seven runs. It marks back-to-back games that a player for Marshall finished with seven RBI as Stevenson achieved the number on Sunday in the 9-1 win over Rutgers. Rousseau set a career-high with three runs scored and Huerta tied her career-high with three runs. Chelemen and Brown both had two hits.
Freshman Ashley Blessin had the start in the circle and was pulled after two outs in the bottom of the third. She came back into the game in the fifth, and pitched into the sixth. Freshman Delaney Heaberlin was the last pitcher to come in for Marshall in the sixth and was credited with the loss.
The Herd returns to action Friday through Sunday, March 13-15, as the FIU Panthers come to Dot Hicks Field. It will be the first Conference USA action of the year for Marshall. C-USA has moved to the three-game series now being played over three days. The Herd will take on the Panthers first on Friday at 1 p.m., then on Saturday at 1 p.m., and finally on Sunday at 12 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!
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Marshall softball team got off to a fast start, but ultimately could not hang on falling to the 11th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, 16-15, Wednesday night at John Cropp Stadium.
The Thundering Herd dropped to 18-7 and the Wildcats improved to 20-4.
Marshall tied two single-game records with five home runs and two grand slams. The 15 runs were the fourth-most scored in a game in program history. The teams were both ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in runs per game combining for 31 runs, 27 hits and 55 total base runners. Both teams used five different pitchers, combined for 348 pitches and the game lasted three hours and 16 minutes.
The Herd's offense got rolling right from the start as senior Sierra Huerta hit a one-out single to left and then scored easily when junior Saige Pye hit a two-run home run to left. Two batters later, junior Katie Adams improved her hitting streak to 10 games with a solo homer to center, her third of the season. Kentucky scored two in the bottom of the first and Marshall led 3-2.
Nine batters came to the plate for the Herd in the top of the second, totaling three more runs. Sophomore Grace Chelemen led off with her first career home run to left-center. She became the ninth player to hit one out of the park this year for Marshall and it was the third of the game for the Herd. Junior Rachel Rousseau kept it going with a double and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from junior Armani Brown. Two batters later, Huerta was plunked for the sixth time this season leading to Pye coming back to the plate. Pye ripped a single to right that scored Rousseau and moved Huerta to second. A wild pitch put both in scoring position before sophomore Mya Stevenson drew a walk. Adams then reached on an infield error that brought home Huerta.
Marshall kept piling on the early runs as Pye lifted a towering shot to left for a grand slam that brought home Rousseau, Brown and Harrell. It was the first career game with two home runs for Pye and the fourth homer of the contest for the Herd. Kentucky scored two more in the bottom of the third, but Marshall led 10-4.
The Herd scored five more runs, all on two outs in the top of the fourth. Adams began the inning with a walk and sophomore Rachel Pennington came in to run. Three batters later, with two outs, Rousseau drew her second walk of the game to put two on base. Brown got on board with an infield single to load the bases. Harrell then kept the inning going off an error at third that brought home Pennington. Next, Huerta came to plate and belted a towering grand slam to left. It was her ninth home run of the year, second grand slam of the day and fifth home run for Marshall. The Herd led 15-4.
The Wildcats began to show why they have one of the best offenses in the country as the comeback started in the bottom of the fourth with two runs. UK scored four more in the fifth and six in the sixth to take the one-run lead. Marshall was retired in order in the top of the seventh, the first time all game that featured a 1-2-3 inning.
Pye was 4-of-5 at the plate and drove in a career-high seven runs. It marks back-to-back games that a player for Marshall finished with seven RBI as Stevenson achieved the number on Sunday in the 9-1 win over Rutgers. Rousseau set a career-high with three runs scored and Huerta tied her career-high with three runs. Chelemen and Brown both had two hits.
Freshman Ashley Blessin had the start in the circle and was pulled after two outs in the bottom of the third. She came back into the game in the fifth, and pitched into the sixth. Freshman Delaney Heaberlin was the last pitcher to come in for Marshall in the sixth and was credited with the loss.
The Herd returns to action Friday through Sunday, March 13-15, as the FIU Panthers come to Dot Hicks Field. It will be the first Conference USA action of the year for Marshall. C-USA has moved to the three-game series now being played over three days. The Herd will take on the Panthers first on Friday at 1 p.m., then on Saturday at 1 p.m., and finally on Sunday at 12 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: Stoddard, M (2-0)
L: Heaberlin, Delaney (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Rousseau, Rachel 1
HR: Huerta, Sierra 1 ; Pye, Saige 2 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1
RBI: Huerta, Sierra 4 ; Pye, Saige 7 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1
SH: Brown, Armani 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Huerta, Sierra 3 ; Pye, Saige 2 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Pennington, Rachel 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Rousseau, Rachel 3 ; Brown, Armani 2
HBP: Huerta, Sierra 1
Batting:
2B: Smith, R 1 ; Spangler, T 1 ; Abernathy, R 1
3B: Peyton, M 1 ; Johnson, L 1
HR: Stoddard, M 1
RBI: Smith, R 2 ; Spangler, T 2 ; Martens, A 2 ; Peyton, M 3 ; Stoddard, M 4 ; Johnson, L 1 ; Abernathy, R 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kowalik, K 2 ; Smith, R 4 ; Spangler, T 3 ; Martens, A 2 ; Stoddard, M 1 ; Babbs, J 1 ; Johnson, L 1 ; Abernathy, R 2
SB: Kowalik, K 2
HBP: Deters, G 1 ; Johnson, L 1
Game Leaders
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Players Mentioned
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