Marshall University Athletics
Sunday, March 28
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
11-4
10
vs
0
Bellarmine University
5-18
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Bellarmine
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
Marshall
0
5
3
2
0
10
8
0
Photo by: Sydney Shelton
Whitaker and Kenney Crank Homers as Softball Blanks Knights
3/28/2021 4:54:00 PM | Softball
First home runs in Herd careers for both Whitaker and Kenney
Box Score (PDF)
Postgame Press Conference: Head Coach Megan Smith Lyon | Madison Whitaker | Kay Kay Kenney
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two more players for the Marshall softball team belt home runs as the Herd used timely hitting, patience at the plate, and great defense to shut out the Bellarmine Knights, 10-0 in five innings on Sunday at Dot Hicks Field. Senior Madison Whitaker and freshman Kay Kay Kenney both sent one out of the park.
The Thundering Herd improved to 11-4 while the Knights fell to 5-18.
"I was really confident that we would bounce back after yesterday and make the adjustments that we needed to and we certainly did that offensively," Herd head coach Megan Smith Lyon said. "In the circle, I felt that Laney (Jones) was fearless. She was super confident and even when she got behind, she was still poised and went right at them.
"Yesterday we knew that wasn't a good representation of who we are. We didn't panic about it, we knew that wasn't us, and we just got to work. The hitters were open to learning their adjustments and we were confident that we were going to have a better day today."
The Herd offense totaled eight hits and eight free passes (seven walks and one hit-by-pitch). Marshall began the game with two hits in the first inning as junior Grace Chelemen continued her great weekend with a base hit. Senior Katie Adams added one as well, but the Herd did not score in the first.
The bats began to unload on the Knights in the second. Whitaker led off the inning with a solo homer to left-center. It was her first in a Marshall uniform and the ninth of her collegiate career after spending time at Wright State. She also became the 10th different player to hit one out of the park this season for the Herd. Whitaker started at shortstop as graduate Sierra Huerta missed her first game of her Marshall career due to an injury.
Two batters later, Kenney drew her third walk of the weekend. Later in the inning with two outs, senior Armani Brown and then Chelemen drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Senior Aly Harrell came to the plate and on the sixth pitch hit one up the middle that scored Kenney and Brown. With Marshall leading 3-0, Bellarmine opted for a pitching change and put in Carson Goatley who had the win in game one on Saturday. Senior Katie Adams was the first batter to face Goatley and ripped a shot to deep left-center that hit off the top of the fence for a 2-run double scoring Chelemen and Harrell. The Herd led 5-0. It was the third time this season that Marshall has scored five runs in an inning.
In the third, Whitaker led off again as the Herd went through all nine batters in the second inning. Whitaker didn't get the chance to go for another blast as she was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Kenney smashed her first career hit and home run with a two-run shot to left. Kenney had reached base safely in her previous four plate appearances with three walks and once on an error late in game two on Saturday. Kenney's homer was the 25th of the season for the Herd and she became the 11th member of the Team 28 home run party.
Two batters later, Brown reached for the second time on an error at first. Chelemen then followed with a double to left-center that plated Brown and gave Marshall an 8-0 lead.
Whitaker again led off the fourth inning as the Herd rolled through all nine hitters again in the third. The senior reached on an error from the centerfielder and then was quickly joined on base by junior Mya Stevenson and Kenney with back-to-back walks. With the bases loaded, junior Camryn Michallas came in to pinch hit and delivered with a double down the left-field line that scored Whitaker and Stevenson. For Michallas, it was her first hit and RBI in a Marshall uniform after transferring from Gulf Coast State College. Marshall led 10-0.
Senior Laney Jones got the start in the circle and pitched all five innings of the run-rule victory, earning her third shutout of the season. She allowed just two hits, both coming in the fifth, and also received some great play from the defense. Freshman centerfielder Paige Halliwill continued her great play taking away some extra base hits with catches on the run.
The Herd defense really teamed up to preserve the shutout in the fifth. With runners at second and third, a Bellarmine batter hit a grounder to Michallas who stayed in the game at third. The runner from third was nearly halfway home and then ended up in a rundown. Michallas tossed to freshman catcher Kat Sackett, who then threw to Whitaker and finally Jones who came over to cover home plate. Jones got the tag on the back of the runner to save the run from scoring. The next batter popped out to Whitaker at short for the final out of the game.
Chelemen totaled two more hits, bringing her weekend tally to eight hits, with a batting average of .800 (8-of-10). She saw her season average rise from .314 to .422. Chelemen added three RBI and three runs during the series. Harrell added two more RBI to her career total, up to 114, good for ninth all-time in team history.
Adams recorded two hits and two RBI and is tied with Sackett for the team lead in doubles with six. Whitaker scored a season-high three runs and tied her career-best set against UL-Monroe back on Feb. 10, 2019 while playing for Wright State. Kenney and Brown scored two runs each.
Next up for the Herd is the beginning of Conference USA play as the WKU Hilltoppers come to Huntington, April 1-3, for a four-game series.
"We haven't had the normal non-conference schedule that we're used to," coach Smith Lyon said. "We are still figuring some things out. But, I feel like we have had moments where we are solid in all aspects. I felt like today was a great springboard into conference play. To go from yesterday not having a great day overall, to bounce back today and make those adjustments I thought that was a great message to send to each other and to other people that we are prepared. We are ready.
"We have a lot of different tools and a lot of different players who can step up and do great things for us. That is only going to help us when we start playing in conference."
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!
Postgame Press Conference: Head Coach Megan Smith Lyon | Madison Whitaker | Kay Kay Kenney
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two more players for the Marshall softball team belt home runs as the Herd used timely hitting, patience at the plate, and great defense to shut out the Bellarmine Knights, 10-0 in five innings on Sunday at Dot Hicks Field. Senior Madison Whitaker and freshman Kay Kay Kenney both sent one out of the park.
The Thundering Herd improved to 11-4 while the Knights fell to 5-18.
"I was really confident that we would bounce back after yesterday and make the adjustments that we needed to and we certainly did that offensively," Herd head coach Megan Smith Lyon said. "In the circle, I felt that Laney (Jones) was fearless. She was super confident and even when she got behind, she was still poised and went right at them.
"Yesterday we knew that wasn't a good representation of who we are. We didn't panic about it, we knew that wasn't us, and we just got to work. The hitters were open to learning their adjustments and we were confident that we were going to have a better day today."
The Herd offense totaled eight hits and eight free passes (seven walks and one hit-by-pitch). Marshall began the game with two hits in the first inning as junior Grace Chelemen continued her great weekend with a base hit. Senior Katie Adams added one as well, but the Herd did not score in the first.
The bats began to unload on the Knights in the second. Whitaker led off the inning with a solo homer to left-center. It was her first in a Marshall uniform and the ninth of her collegiate career after spending time at Wright State. She also became the 10th different player to hit one out of the park this season for the Herd. Whitaker started at shortstop as graduate Sierra Huerta missed her first game of her Marshall career due to an injury.
Two batters later, Kenney drew her third walk of the weekend. Later in the inning with two outs, senior Armani Brown and then Chelemen drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Senior Aly Harrell came to the plate and on the sixth pitch hit one up the middle that scored Kenney and Brown. With Marshall leading 3-0, Bellarmine opted for a pitching change and put in Carson Goatley who had the win in game one on Saturday. Senior Katie Adams was the first batter to face Goatley and ripped a shot to deep left-center that hit off the top of the fence for a 2-run double scoring Chelemen and Harrell. The Herd led 5-0. It was the third time this season that Marshall has scored five runs in an inning.
In the third, Whitaker led off again as the Herd went through all nine batters in the second inning. Whitaker didn't get the chance to go for another blast as she was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Kenney smashed her first career hit and home run with a two-run shot to left. Kenney had reached base safely in her previous four plate appearances with three walks and once on an error late in game two on Saturday. Kenney's homer was the 25th of the season for the Herd and she became the 11th member of the Team 28 home run party.
Two batters later, Brown reached for the second time on an error at first. Chelemen then followed with a double to left-center that plated Brown and gave Marshall an 8-0 lead.
Whitaker again led off the fourth inning as the Herd rolled through all nine hitters again in the third. The senior reached on an error from the centerfielder and then was quickly joined on base by junior Mya Stevenson and Kenney with back-to-back walks. With the bases loaded, junior Camryn Michallas came in to pinch hit and delivered with a double down the left-field line that scored Whitaker and Stevenson. For Michallas, it was her first hit and RBI in a Marshall uniform after transferring from Gulf Coast State College. Marshall led 10-0.
Senior Laney Jones got the start in the circle and pitched all five innings of the run-rule victory, earning her third shutout of the season. She allowed just two hits, both coming in the fifth, and also received some great play from the defense. Freshman centerfielder Paige Halliwill continued her great play taking away some extra base hits with catches on the run.
The Herd defense really teamed up to preserve the shutout in the fifth. With runners at second and third, a Bellarmine batter hit a grounder to Michallas who stayed in the game at third. The runner from third was nearly halfway home and then ended up in a rundown. Michallas tossed to freshman catcher Kat Sackett, who then threw to Whitaker and finally Jones who came over to cover home plate. Jones got the tag on the back of the runner to save the run from scoring. The next batter popped out to Whitaker at short for the final out of the game.
Chelemen totaled two more hits, bringing her weekend tally to eight hits, with a batting average of .800 (8-of-10). She saw her season average rise from .314 to .422. Chelemen added three RBI and three runs during the series. Harrell added two more RBI to her career total, up to 114, good for ninth all-time in team history.
Adams recorded two hits and two RBI and is tied with Sackett for the team lead in doubles with six. Whitaker scored a season-high three runs and tied her career-best set against UL-Monroe back on Feb. 10, 2019 while playing for Wright State. Kenney and Brown scored two runs each.
Next up for the Herd is the beginning of Conference USA play as the WKU Hilltoppers come to Huntington, April 1-3, for a four-game series.
"We haven't had the normal non-conference schedule that we're used to," coach Smith Lyon said. "We are still figuring some things out. But, I feel like we have had moments where we are solid in all aspects. I felt like today was a great springboard into conference play. To go from yesterday not having a great day overall, to bounce back today and make those adjustments I thought that was a great message to send to each other and to other people that we are prepared. We are ready.
"We have a lot of different tools and a lot of different players who can step up and do great things for us. That is only going to help us when we start playing in conference."
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: Jones, Laney (4-1)
L: Knies, Olivia (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Hartman, Hattie 1 ; Ratterman, Sarah 1
Batting:
2B: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Michallas, Camryn 1
HR: Whitaker, Madison 1 ; Kenney, Kay Kay 1
RBI: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Harrell, Aly 2 ; Adams, Katie 2 ; Whitaker, Madison 1 ; Kenney, Kay Kay 2 ; Michallas, Camryn 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Harrell, Aly 1 ; Whitaker, Madison 3 ; Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Kenney, Kay Kay 2 ; Brown, Armani 2
CS: Chelemen, Grace 1
HBP: Whitaker, Madison 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
3
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballMarshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
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Marshall Softball: Kaleea Washington & Brooklyn Ulrich (Post-Radford)
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Marshall Softball: HC Morgan Zerkle, Haleigh Adkins, Paige Maynard (Post-Coastal)
Friday, April 18
Hype and Harmony: the Team Personality Fuels Success #softball
Thursday, April 17