Marshall University Athletics
Friday, March 18
Miami, Fla.
7:00 PM
Marshall University
11-7-1, 0
11
at
3
FIU
7-12, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Marshall
1
0
3
2
0
0
0
1
4
11
14
1
FIU
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
3
6
2
Photo by: Jack Kelly
Herd Downs Panthers to Open Conference USA Play, 11-3
3/18/2022 11:41:00 PM | Baseball
Purnell picks up third win of the season
Box Score
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MIAMI – The Marshall University baseball team (11-7-1, 1-0) opened Conference USA action with an 11-3 victory over the FIU Panthers (7-12, 0-1) in Miami on Friday night.
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"It starts with Jeffrey Purnell. He threw seven strong innings and it was a great outing form the senior," Herd baseball head coach Jeff Waggoner said after the win. "Louis Davenport threw well in the final two innings. Anytime you only have to use two pitchers in a Friday game is great. The offense did a great job working their starting pitcher. We he hit the ball well with two outs and had him at 70-plus pitches in the third inning. It's time to get ready to try and take the series tomorrow."
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Luke Edwards opened the contest with a leadoff homer to left to give Marshall the early 1-0 lead. It was his fourth of the season. FIU answered with a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game.
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Then in the top of the third, Cole Williams drew a walk to start the inning and Travis Sankovich then drew a one-out free pass. After Daniel Carinci reached on a fielder's choice with Sankovich out at second, Kyle Schaefer stepped to the plate with two outs and runners at the corners. With a full count, the junior sent the offering over the wall in right for his team-leading fifth long ball of the season as Marshall led 4-1.
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Edwards and Christian Lucio each recorded one-out singles in the top of the fourth putting runners at the corners. Williams hit a sacrifice fly to score Edwards and make it 5-1 Herd. After a wild pitch moved Lucio to second, Ryan Leitch brought him home with a two-out single through the left side to move MU's lead to 6-1.
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After giving up a run in the bottom of the first, Herd starting pitcher Jeffrey Purnell threw four consecutive scoreless frames, facing the minimum of 12 batters through those innings.
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FIU added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on an Alec Sanchez home run as Marshall still held a 6-3 advantage.
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Purnell's outing came to an end after a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. The senior struck out eight batters in his seven innings of work giving up three runs on six hits.
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The Herd tallied another two-out run in the top of the eighth on a Sankovich single to extend its lead to 7-3. Then in the ninth, Marshall loaded the bases on a single by Schaefer and walks issued to Jordon Billups and Geordon Blanton. Edwards then singled to left and cleared the bases with the aid of an error by Roberto Solongo in left field. Edwards then scored during the next batter to make it 11-3 Marshall.
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Relief pitcher Louis Davenport threw a pair of hitless innings in the eighth and ninth to close out the game for the Herd.
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Purnell moved to a perfect 3-0 in five starts this season.
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Edwards, Leitch and Schaefer each had three hits in the road win.
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UP NEXT
The Herd looks to clinch the series against the Panthers on Saturday. Game two is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch in Miami.
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For all the latest information about Marshall baseball, follow @HerdBaseball on Twitter and @herdbsb on Instagram.
 .
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
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MIAMI – The Marshall University baseball team (11-7-1, 1-0) opened Conference USA action with an 11-3 victory over the FIU Panthers (7-12, 0-1) in Miami on Friday night.
Â
"It starts with Jeffrey Purnell. He threw seven strong innings and it was a great outing form the senior," Herd baseball head coach Jeff Waggoner said after the win. "Louis Davenport threw well in the final two innings. Anytime you only have to use two pitchers in a Friday game is great. The offense did a great job working their starting pitcher. We he hit the ball well with two outs and had him at 70-plus pitches in the third inning. It's time to get ready to try and take the series tomorrow."
Â
Luke Edwards opened the contest with a leadoff homer to left to give Marshall the early 1-0 lead. It was his fourth of the season. FIU answered with a run in the bottom of the first to tie the game.
Â
Then in the top of the third, Cole Williams drew a walk to start the inning and Travis Sankovich then drew a one-out free pass. After Daniel Carinci reached on a fielder's choice with Sankovich out at second, Kyle Schaefer stepped to the plate with two outs and runners at the corners. With a full count, the junior sent the offering over the wall in right for his team-leading fifth long ball of the season as Marshall led 4-1.
Â
Edwards and Christian Lucio each recorded one-out singles in the top of the fourth putting runners at the corners. Williams hit a sacrifice fly to score Edwards and make it 5-1 Herd. After a wild pitch moved Lucio to second, Ryan Leitch brought him home with a two-out single through the left side to move MU's lead to 6-1.
Â
After giving up a run in the bottom of the first, Herd starting pitcher Jeffrey Purnell threw four consecutive scoreless frames, facing the minimum of 12 batters through those innings.
Â
FIU added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on an Alec Sanchez home run as Marshall still held a 6-3 advantage.
Â
Purnell's outing came to an end after a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. The senior struck out eight batters in his seven innings of work giving up three runs on six hits.
Â
The Herd tallied another two-out run in the top of the eighth on a Sankovich single to extend its lead to 7-3. Then in the ninth, Marshall loaded the bases on a single by Schaefer and walks issued to Jordon Billups and Geordon Blanton. Edwards then singled to left and cleared the bases with the aid of an error by Roberto Solongo in left field. Edwards then scored during the next batter to make it 11-3 Marshall.
Â
Relief pitcher Louis Davenport threw a pair of hitless innings in the eighth and ninth to close out the game for the Herd.
Â
Purnell moved to a perfect 3-0 in five starts this season.
Â
Edwards, Leitch and Schaefer each had three hits in the road win.
Â
UP NEXT
The Herd looks to clinch the series against the Panthers on Saturday. Game two is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch in Miami.
Â
For all the latest information about Marshall baseball, follow @HerdBaseball on Twitter and @herdbsb on Instagram.
 .
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
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---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Purnell, Jeffrey (3-0)
L: Patrick Pridgen (1-2)
Batting:
HR: Edwards, Luke 1 ; Schaefer, Kyle 1
RBI: Edwards, Luke 2 ; Williams, Cole 1 ; Leitch, Ryan 1 ; Sankovich, Travis 1 ; Schaefer, Kyle 3
SF: Williams, Cole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Edwards, Luke 3 ; Lucio, Christian 2 ; Williams, Cole 1 ; Carinci, Daniel 1 ; Schaefer, Kyle 2 ; Billups, Jordon 1 ; Blanton, Geordon 1
SB: Lucio, Christian 1 ; Blanton, Geordon 1
HBP: Lucio, Christian 1 ; Leitch, Ryan 1
Batting:
2B: Robert Sotolongo 1 ; Dante Girardi 1
HR: Alec Sanchez 1
RBI: Alec Sanchez 2 ; Adrian Figueroa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Robert Sotolongo 2 ; Alec Sanchez 1
HBP: Jorge Ramirez 1
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
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INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF
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