Marshall University Athletics
Friday, March 25
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
17-9, 1-3
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Middle Tennessee
15-16, 2-2
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Middle Tennessee
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Photo by: Adam Gue
Stevenson & Nester Reach Career Milestones as Softball Defeats Blue Raiders
3/25/2022 4:48:00 PM | Softball
Stevenson hits 50th career home run and Nester records 500th career strikeout
Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Senior Mya Stevenson smashed the 50th home run of her career and redshirt junior Sydney Nester tallied her 500th career strikeout on Friday as the Marshall softball team took down the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, 4-1.
The Thundering Herd improves to 17-9 overall and 1-3 in Conference USA play while halting a four-game skid. The Blue Raiders fall to 15-16 overall and 2-2 in league action. Game two of the three-game series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m., at Dot Hicks Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and will also be broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Stevenson joins Marshall Athletics Hall of Famer Rachel Folden (2005-08) as the only players in team history with 50 bombs in a career. Stevenson is second all-time while Folden remains at the top with 58.
Nester earned the complete-game victory, her 11th of the season. She tallied eight more strikeouts to bring her season total to 162. Nester came to Marshall with 344 strikeouts during her three seasons at North Carolina State. She has already surpassed her previous season-high of 153 from her freshman season in 2019.
The Herd began the day continuing to honor women in sports as women's soccer sophomore midfielder Hailey McMahon threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Fifth-year senior Aly Harrell got the scoring started for the Herd in the top of the first, leading off the inning with a solo home run to center. Harrell cranked the shot on a full-count to the deepest part of Dot Hicks Field for her fourth homer of the season and 44th of her career. Marshall led 1-0.
Nester recorded strikeout number 500 in the second inning for the second out. She picked up her 501st on the very next batter to end the inning.
Marshall added three more runs in the third. Fifth-year senior Armani Brown started the inning legging out an infield single. Harrell came up next and ripped a base hit up the middle. Brown used her speed to advance to third. Fifth-year senior Saige Pye then flew out to deep right-center that allowed Brown to score from third on the sacrifice fly. It was Pye's 24th RBI of the season. With Harrell still at first, Stevenson ripped a line drive shot that cleared the fence in left and landed on the railroad track. Homer number 50 gave the Herd a 4-0 lead.
Despite allowing one run in the sixth, Nester remained in control and received great defensive play behind her as Marshall finished with no errors. Sophomore Autumn Owen recorded four assists at third base and freshman Lauren Love had one assist at second for the very first out of the game. Brown, playing shortstop, made a highlight reel play for an out in the fourth as her throw just beat the runner to first. It was also her 200th career assist. Freshman Bub Feringa caught a liner in left and senior Grace Chelemen ran down two fly balls out in center.
The catch of the game was saved for the final out. The Blue Raiders had a runner at first in the top of the seventh with two away. Mia Marinakis, who came in to pinch hit, sent a sinking liner to right. Stevenson darted to her left and made a sliding catch, snagging the ball just above the turf, for the third out preserving the win.
Marshall tallied just five hits in the win, however Middle Tennessee recorded three. Harrell had two of the Herd's hits and increased her season batting average to .507. Harrell needs just two more hits to join the MUSB 200 Hits Club, as well as one more walk to become the program's all-time leader. The Gahanna, Ohio, native is currently tied for the top spot in walks with Folden at 147. Harrell increased her hitting streak to a career-best 10 in-a-row.
Stevenson's home run gives her seven bombs over the last nine games, including four in Conference USA play. The Mesquite, Texas, native has 10 homers this season and also leads the team with 28 RBI as well as a slugging percentage of .919. Stevenson also reached base by a hit-by-pitch in the fifth, her first plunk of the season. She reached base safely for the 13th-straight game and increased her hitting streak to six.
Chelemen had one hit with a double in the fourth inning. The speedster hit a liner into the gap in right-center that was cut off by Kelci Hill. However, Chelemen was flying from the start and beat the throw to second for her third double of the season.
The win also ends a three-game slide to Middle Tennessee in the all-time series. It is Marshall's 20th win over the Blue Raiders.
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.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Senior Mya Stevenson smashed the 50th home run of her career and redshirt junior Sydney Nester tallied her 500th career strikeout on Friday as the Marshall softball team took down the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, 4-1.
The Thundering Herd improves to 17-9 overall and 1-3 in Conference USA play while halting a four-game skid. The Blue Raiders fall to 15-16 overall and 2-2 in league action. Game two of the three-game series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m., at Dot Hicks Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and will also be broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Stevenson joins Marshall Athletics Hall of Famer Rachel Folden (2005-08) as the only players in team history with 50 bombs in a career. Stevenson is second all-time while Folden remains at the top with 58.
Nester earned the complete-game victory, her 11th of the season. She tallied eight more strikeouts to bring her season total to 162. Nester came to Marshall with 344 strikeouts during her three seasons at North Carolina State. She has already surpassed her previous season-high of 153 from her freshman season in 2019.
The Herd began the day continuing to honor women in sports as women's soccer sophomore midfielder Hailey McMahon threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Fifth-year senior Aly Harrell got the scoring started for the Herd in the top of the first, leading off the inning with a solo home run to center. Harrell cranked the shot on a full-count to the deepest part of Dot Hicks Field for her fourth homer of the season and 44th of her career. Marshall led 1-0.
Nester recorded strikeout number 500 in the second inning for the second out. She picked up her 501st on the very next batter to end the inning.
Marshall added three more runs in the third. Fifth-year senior Armani Brown started the inning legging out an infield single. Harrell came up next and ripped a base hit up the middle. Brown used her speed to advance to third. Fifth-year senior Saige Pye then flew out to deep right-center that allowed Brown to score from third on the sacrifice fly. It was Pye's 24th RBI of the season. With Harrell still at first, Stevenson ripped a line drive shot that cleared the fence in left and landed on the railroad track. Homer number 50 gave the Herd a 4-0 lead.
Despite allowing one run in the sixth, Nester remained in control and received great defensive play behind her as Marshall finished with no errors. Sophomore Autumn Owen recorded four assists at third base and freshman Lauren Love had one assist at second for the very first out of the game. Brown, playing shortstop, made a highlight reel play for an out in the fourth as her throw just beat the runner to first. It was also her 200th career assist. Freshman Bub Feringa caught a liner in left and senior Grace Chelemen ran down two fly balls out in center.
The catch of the game was saved for the final out. The Blue Raiders had a runner at first in the top of the seventh with two away. Mia Marinakis, who came in to pinch hit, sent a sinking liner to right. Stevenson darted to her left and made a sliding catch, snagging the ball just above the turf, for the third out preserving the win.
Marshall tallied just five hits in the win, however Middle Tennessee recorded three. Harrell had two of the Herd's hits and increased her season batting average to .507. Harrell needs just two more hits to join the MUSB 200 Hits Club, as well as one more walk to become the program's all-time leader. The Gahanna, Ohio, native is currently tied for the top spot in walks with Folden at 147. Harrell increased her hitting streak to a career-best 10 in-a-row.
Stevenson's home run gives her seven bombs over the last nine games, including four in Conference USA play. The Mesquite, Texas, native has 10 homers this season and also leads the team with 28 RBI as well as a slugging percentage of .919. Stevenson also reached base by a hit-by-pitch in the fifth, her first plunk of the season. She reached base safely for the 13th-straight game and increased her hitting streak to six.
Chelemen had one hit with a double in the fourth inning. The speedster hit a liner into the gap in right-center that was cut off by Kelci Hill. However, Chelemen was flying from the start and beat the throw to second for her third double of the season.
The win also ends a three-game slide to Middle Tennessee in the all-time series. It is Marshall's 20th win over the Blue Raiders.
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---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nester, Sydney (11-5)
L: MEAD, Gretchen (3-3)
Batting:
2B: MEALER, Laura 1
RBI: HARVEY, Anyce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HILL, Kelci 1
Batting:
2B: Chelemen, Grace 1
HR: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 1
RBI: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 2
SF: Pye, Saige 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Brown, Armani 1
SB: Stevenson, Mya 1
HBP: Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Love, Lauren 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
P
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