Marshall University Athletics
Friday, April 16
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
13-7, 2-3
1
vs
0
Florida Atlantic University
8-24, 3-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Florida Atlantic
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
Marshall
0
0
1
0
0
0
X
1
3
0
Photo by: Sydney Shelton
Joyce Pitches Shutout as Softball Takes Game One from Owls
4/16/2021 5:18:00 PM | Softball
Redshirt sophomore pitcher strikes out six
Box Score (PDF)
Head Coach Megan Smith Lyon Postgame
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team shutout the Florida Atlantic Owls on Friday, 1-0, at Dot Hicks Field. Redshirt sophomore Cailey Joyce earned the complete game victory for her first shutout with the Herd.
The Thundering Herd improved to 13-7 and 2-3 in Conference USA play. The Owls drop to 8-24 overall and 3-6 in league action.
"This team was locked in," Herd head coach Megan Smith Lyon said. "I don't think any of us were happy with our performance last weekend. We came back and we were locked in this week at practice. Just a really good vibe from the team all week and today in pregame. I am confident that our players are still locked in for this weekend and ready to do better.
"Offensively we were off a little today, but give credit to their pitcher. She is a really talented pitcher and threw a great game keeping us off balance. Defensively we were phenomenal today. We made a lot of great plays and making the routine plays. And that really feeds confidence to our pitchers when they know that they can pitch to contact and that the defense will have their backs. But it also makes it easy for our defense when our pitcher is doing her job, and Cailey did her job really well today. She was in command of all of her pitches and it allows your defense to get into a groove and they both fed off each other."
Joyce had a great outing in the circle allowing just four hits and striking out six. She did not walk a single batter and also received some great defensive play.
Florida Atlantic tallied two of its four hits in the top of the first, yet Joyce recorded three strikeouts in the frame to help strand both runners on base. The right-hander retired five of the first six batters with a strikeout. Freshman Kat Sackett ended the top of the third with a throw down to senior Armani Brown at second with a great tag as the runner was caught stealing.
Other great defensive efforts came from redshirt senior Blakely Burch with a couple throws on the run from third. Graduate Sierra Huerta made a spin move before throwing to first after snagging a grounder in the sixth. Junior Mya Stevenson had a catch in right-center on the run that took away an extra base hit. Junior Grace Chelemen ran down a fly ball in foul territory in left. Freshman centerfielder Paige Halliwill also held on to a catch in shallow center after colliding with Huerta. Senior Aly Harrell made a great play on quick bunt attempt in the third.
The Herd offense had just three hits and also drew three walks. Harrell, Brown and senior Katie Adams had one hit each, all singles. In the bottom of the third, Burch led off with her 27th career hit-by-pitch. Burch is now tied for sixth all-time in program history with Katalin Lucas (2013-16). Brown then stepped up with a single to left. Two batters later, Harrell sent a pitch into left to load the bases. Huerta then drew the first of two walks in the game that scored Burch.
The lone run was enough as Joyce and the Marshall defense continued to make plays retiring the last 12 batters faced including Joyce's sixth strikeout for the final out of the game. The Florida Atlantic batters saw just six pitches in the top of the seventh.
The contest lasted just one hour and 27 minutes, the shortest game of the year for the Herd.
Marshall and FAU continue the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Prior to the first game, the Herd will honor four seniors in Burch, Huerta, Laney Jones and Megan Stauffer for Senior Day. The games will be streamed on CUSAtv as well as broadcast on the radio by 88.1 WMUL-FM and online www.marshall.edu/wmul.
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!
Head Coach Megan Smith Lyon Postgame
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team shutout the Florida Atlantic Owls on Friday, 1-0, at Dot Hicks Field. Redshirt sophomore Cailey Joyce earned the complete game victory for her first shutout with the Herd.
The Thundering Herd improved to 13-7 and 2-3 in Conference USA play. The Owls drop to 8-24 overall and 3-6 in league action.
"This team was locked in," Herd head coach Megan Smith Lyon said. "I don't think any of us were happy with our performance last weekend. We came back and we were locked in this week at practice. Just a really good vibe from the team all week and today in pregame. I am confident that our players are still locked in for this weekend and ready to do better.
"Offensively we were off a little today, but give credit to their pitcher. She is a really talented pitcher and threw a great game keeping us off balance. Defensively we were phenomenal today. We made a lot of great plays and making the routine plays. And that really feeds confidence to our pitchers when they know that they can pitch to contact and that the defense will have their backs. But it also makes it easy for our defense when our pitcher is doing her job, and Cailey did her job really well today. She was in command of all of her pitches and it allows your defense to get into a groove and they both fed off each other."
Joyce had a great outing in the circle allowing just four hits and striking out six. She did not walk a single batter and also received some great defensive play.
Florida Atlantic tallied two of its four hits in the top of the first, yet Joyce recorded three strikeouts in the frame to help strand both runners on base. The right-hander retired five of the first six batters with a strikeout. Freshman Kat Sackett ended the top of the third with a throw down to senior Armani Brown at second with a great tag as the runner was caught stealing.
Other great defensive efforts came from redshirt senior Blakely Burch with a couple throws on the run from third. Graduate Sierra Huerta made a spin move before throwing to first after snagging a grounder in the sixth. Junior Mya Stevenson had a catch in right-center on the run that took away an extra base hit. Junior Grace Chelemen ran down a fly ball in foul territory in left. Freshman centerfielder Paige Halliwill also held on to a catch in shallow center after colliding with Huerta. Senior Aly Harrell made a great play on quick bunt attempt in the third.
The Herd offense had just three hits and also drew three walks. Harrell, Brown and senior Katie Adams had one hit each, all singles. In the bottom of the third, Burch led off with her 27th career hit-by-pitch. Burch is now tied for sixth all-time in program history with Katalin Lucas (2013-16). Brown then stepped up with a single to left. Two batters later, Harrell sent a pitch into left to load the bases. Huerta then drew the first of two walks in the game that scored Burch.
The lone run was enough as Joyce and the Marshall defense continued to make plays retiring the last 12 batters faced including Joyce's sixth strikeout for the final out of the game. The Florida Atlantic batters saw just six pitches in the top of the seventh.
The contest lasted just one hour and 27 minutes, the shortest game of the year for the Herd.
Marshall and FAU continue the series on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Prior to the first game, the Herd will honor four seniors in Burch, Huerta, Laney Jones and Megan Stauffer for Senior Day. The games will be streamed on CUSAtv as well as broadcast on the radio by 88.1 WMUL-FM and online www.marshall.edu/wmul.
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: Joyce, Cailey (2-1)
L: Gardner, Lynn (5-11)
Base Running:
SB: Cunningham, Kaitlyn 1 ; Amm, Maya 1
CS: Berthiaume, Sara 1
Batting:
RBI: Huerta, Sierra 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burch, Blakely 1
SB: Pennington, Rachel 1
HBP: Burch, Blakely 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
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