Nester Named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week

IRVING, Texas – Marshall softball redshirt junior pitcher Sydney Nester was named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season, the league office announced Monday.

Nester was first honored following the Herd's season-opening weekend at the Buzz Classic after not allowing a single run and striking out 25 batters over 14 innings of action.

During the Camel Stampede, Feb. 25-26, Nester had another dominant weekend posting a 0.88 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 16 innings. She finished with a 1-1 record in three appearances, two starts, and went the distance twice. Nester allowed just eight hits, four runs with two earned. She ended eight innings with a strikeout.

The Hillsville, Virginia, native started the Camel Stampede against the Kent State Golden Flashes and struck out 12 batters. Nester pitched all seven innings, allowed only two hits and one run, taking the loss as the Herd fell 1-0. She recorded her 400th career strikeout in the third inning.

Nester came on in relief in the sixth inning on Saturday in the first game against the Howard Bison. She entered the circle with runners on base, no outs and the Herd leading 4-2. Nester struck out the last two batters to end the inning. In the seventh with now a seven-run lead, 9-2, the redshirt junior blasted through a 1-2-3 inning in just nine pitches, striking out the last two batters. Nester did not allow a hit or a run and had four strikeouts through two innings.

Nester ended the weekend with a start against the host team the Campbell Camels. She pitched all seven innings again as Marshall came out victorious, 6-3. Nester scattered six hits, allowed three runs with one earned and struck out 13 batters. She did not allow an extra base hit through her three appearances and has not allowed an extra base hit over her last five outings.

Nester has tallied five double-digit strikeout performances to begin her Marshall career out of nine appearances. She has 81 for the season. The Herd record for the fewest appearances to reach 100 strikeouts in a season belongs to Jordan Dixon (2014-17) who reached the mark in her 12th appearance of 2015 on Feb. 21 versus Auburn.

The Thundering Herd is back in action with 2022 home-opener, March 4-6, as Marshall hosts the Thundering Herd Round Robin. The Herd is set to take on Purdue Fort Wayne, Maryland Eastern Shore, and Winthrop.

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.

---HerdZone.com---

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