Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, March 26
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
18-9, 2-3
9
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Middle Tennessee
15-17, 2-3
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3
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5
6
R
H
E
Middle Tennessee
1
0
0
0
0
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Marshall
1
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1
9
9
1
Photo by: Ben Wheeler
Softball Dominates as Harrell Sets Career Walks Record
3/26/2022 5:21:00 PM | Softball
Harrell surpasses Folden as Marshall’s all-time walks leader
Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall softball fifth-year senior Aly Harrell set the program career walks record with her 148th, as the Herd dominated on Saturday against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, 9-1, on a cold-blustery day at Dot Hicks Field.
The Thundering Herd improved to 18-9 overall and 2-3 in C-USA play. The Blue Raiders fall to 15-17 overall and 2-3 in league action. Game three is set for Sunday with first pitch at 12 p.m. at Dot Hicks Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ as well as broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Harrell surpassed four-time All-American and Marshall Athletics Hall of Famer Rachel Folden (2005-08) for the top spot. Folden was walked for the 147th and final time in her 225th, and also last game with the Herd on May 8, 2008, at the Conference USA Tournament against East Carolina. Harrell broke the record in her 193rd career game, 32 games fewer than Folden.
"I am honored to be in the same conversation as such a great player like Rachel Folden," Harrell said after the win. "She paved a way through the Marshall record books and it has been a goal of mine to have my name right up there next to hers."
The day began with Marshall softball athletic trainer Becky Kaliher throwing out the ceremonial first pitch celebrating women in sports as well as Athletic Trainers Month.
The Herd's offense recorded nine hits and was walked six times. Marshall's bats slugged three more home runs bringing the season total to 34. It was also the fourth-straight game that the Herd has tallied a home run and the third in-a-row with two or more.
In the circle, redshirt junior Cailey Joyce got the start and pitched the first four innings. Joyce allowed just two hits, one run and struck out two while improving to 5-2 this season. The win was the 18th of her collegiate career and 10th with the Herd. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester tossed the final two innings and retired all six batters she faced.
Middle Tennessee scored its lone run of the game in the top of the first to take a brief early lead. The Blue Raiders looked to keep adding to its advantage with two runners on base and just one out. However, a 5-4-3 double play of sophomore Autumn Owen to Madison Whitaker to Harrell ended the inning. The Herd had great defensive play all game long.
Marshall responded offensively in the bottom of the first to tie the game. Harrell led off the inning with her record-breaking 148th career walk. It was also not the last time that Harrell was issued a free pass to first. Two batters later, fifth-year senior Saige Pye drew a walk moving Harrell to second. With two outs, freshman Lauren Love had a base hit to center that scored Harrell. The run was Harrell's 121st of her career, breaking her tie with Stefanie Cook (1995-98) for ninth all-time at Marshall.
The Herd added two more runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. Senior Grace Chelemen led off with a walk. On the very next pitch, fifth-year senior Katie Adams blasted a two-run home run to center. It was the fourth homer of the season for Adams and the 11th of her career. Later in the inning, senior Mya Stevenson drew a walk that brought on the first pitching change for Middle Tennessee.
In the top of the third, Love, playing in left field on Saturday, made a diving catch in foul territory to retire the first batter. The momentum from the catch, and celebration, helped to carry Marshall throughout the rest of the game.
In the bottom of the third, Pye blasted a solo home run that landed on the railroad tracks beyond the fence in left. It was Pye's seventh home run of the season, 22nd of her collegiate career, and 21st in her time at Marshall. Pye is now tied with Raquel Escareno (2013-16) for 13th all-time in program history. Later in the inning, fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker hit a double to center, however she was stranded on base.
The Blue Raiders put two runners on base in the fourth, but a pop up snagged by Adams from behind the plate ended the inning and kept Marshall in front by three, 4-1.
Adams then led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to center. It was the 100th hit of her career, and brought on another pitching change for Middle Tennessee. Redshirt freshman Amaya Lee came in to run at first for Adams. After the change in the circle, fifth-year senior Armani Brown moved Lee to second with a sacrifice bunt. Harrell drew her second walk of the game to put two runners on base. It was the 39th time in Harrell's career that she has been walked at least two times in a game. Stevenson stepped up next, and on a full-count pitch, the senior belted a shot out to left-center for a 3-run homer. It was Stevenson's 11th home run of the season, 51st of her career and her eighth homer in the last 10 games.
The inning was not over as two batters later Owen reached on a double to left-center. Love drove in Owen with a single up the middle. The Herd led 8-1.
In the fifth, Owen tallied two more assists while Whitaker had the other at second base for a 1-2-3 inning. Nester picked up her only strikeout of the outing in the sixth on the second batter of another three-up, three-down inning. Nester now has 163 strikeouts for the season as well as 507 in her career.
Marshall closed out the game early in the bottom of the sixth. Harrell led off with her third walk of the game and 150th of her career. Freshman Alex Coleman came out to run at first. A ground out from Stevenson pushed Coleman into scoring position at second. Two batters later, with two outs, Owen tallied a base hit to left and Coleman used her speed to cross the plate and give the Herd the mercy-rule win, 9-1.
Harrell's hitting streak came to an end at 10 games. However, the Gahanna, Ohio native reached base safely for the 11th-straight game and the 25th time this season out of 27 games. Harrell also reached base safely for the 175th game of her career out of 193 played (90.7-percent).
Stevenson has hit a home run in four-straight games, a career-best, with five of her six hits in Conference USA play leaving the park. She is slugging .935 for the season and 1.500 in league action. Stevenson leads the team with 31 RBI overall and 11 in just five C-USA games. She has a 7-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in the last 14 in-a-row. Stevenson is the first Marshall batter with a home run in four-straight games since Folden accomplished the feat March 29-April 2, 2008. Both players have five total in the four-game stretches and are tied for the team record.
Owen, Love and Adams all had two hits each. Love drove in two runs to bring her season total to 22. Owen recorded five assists on defense. Love had three putouts including her diving catch. Whitaker had two putouts and two assists.
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. – Marshall softball fifth-year senior Aly Harrell set the program career walks record with her 148th, as the Herd dominated on Saturday against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, 9-1, on a cold-blustery day at Dot Hicks Field.
The Thundering Herd improved to 18-9 overall and 2-3 in C-USA play. The Blue Raiders fall to 15-17 overall and 2-3 in league action. Game three is set for Sunday with first pitch at 12 p.m. at Dot Hicks Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ as well as broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Harrell surpassed four-time All-American and Marshall Athletics Hall of Famer Rachel Folden (2005-08) for the top spot. Folden was walked for the 147th and final time in her 225th, and also last game with the Herd on May 8, 2008, at the Conference USA Tournament against East Carolina. Harrell broke the record in her 193rd career game, 32 games fewer than Folden.
"I am honored to be in the same conversation as such a great player like Rachel Folden," Harrell said after the win. "She paved a way through the Marshall record books and it has been a goal of mine to have my name right up there next to hers."
The day began with Marshall softball athletic trainer Becky Kaliher throwing out the ceremonial first pitch celebrating women in sports as well as Athletic Trainers Month.
The Herd's offense recorded nine hits and was walked six times. Marshall's bats slugged three more home runs bringing the season total to 34. It was also the fourth-straight game that the Herd has tallied a home run and the third in-a-row with two or more.
In the circle, redshirt junior Cailey Joyce got the start and pitched the first four innings. Joyce allowed just two hits, one run and struck out two while improving to 5-2 this season. The win was the 18th of her collegiate career and 10th with the Herd. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester tossed the final two innings and retired all six batters she faced.
Middle Tennessee scored its lone run of the game in the top of the first to take a brief early lead. The Blue Raiders looked to keep adding to its advantage with two runners on base and just one out. However, a 5-4-3 double play of sophomore Autumn Owen to Madison Whitaker to Harrell ended the inning. The Herd had great defensive play all game long.
Marshall responded offensively in the bottom of the first to tie the game. Harrell led off the inning with her record-breaking 148th career walk. It was also not the last time that Harrell was issued a free pass to first. Two batters later, fifth-year senior Saige Pye drew a walk moving Harrell to second. With two outs, freshman Lauren Love had a base hit to center that scored Harrell. The run was Harrell's 121st of her career, breaking her tie with Stefanie Cook (1995-98) for ninth all-time at Marshall.
The Herd added two more runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. Senior Grace Chelemen led off with a walk. On the very next pitch, fifth-year senior Katie Adams blasted a two-run home run to center. It was the fourth homer of the season for Adams and the 11th of her career. Later in the inning, senior Mya Stevenson drew a walk that brought on the first pitching change for Middle Tennessee.
In the top of the third, Love, playing in left field on Saturday, made a diving catch in foul territory to retire the first batter. The momentum from the catch, and celebration, helped to carry Marshall throughout the rest of the game.
In the bottom of the third, Pye blasted a solo home run that landed on the railroad tracks beyond the fence in left. It was Pye's seventh home run of the season, 22nd of her collegiate career, and 21st in her time at Marshall. Pye is now tied with Raquel Escareno (2013-16) for 13th all-time in program history. Later in the inning, fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker hit a double to center, however she was stranded on base.
The Blue Raiders put two runners on base in the fourth, but a pop up snagged by Adams from behind the plate ended the inning and kept Marshall in front by three, 4-1.
Adams then led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to center. It was the 100th hit of her career, and brought on another pitching change for Middle Tennessee. Redshirt freshman Amaya Lee came in to run at first for Adams. After the change in the circle, fifth-year senior Armani Brown moved Lee to second with a sacrifice bunt. Harrell drew her second walk of the game to put two runners on base. It was the 39th time in Harrell's career that she has been walked at least two times in a game. Stevenson stepped up next, and on a full-count pitch, the senior belted a shot out to left-center for a 3-run homer. It was Stevenson's 11th home run of the season, 51st of her career and her eighth homer in the last 10 games.
The inning was not over as two batters later Owen reached on a double to left-center. Love drove in Owen with a single up the middle. The Herd led 8-1.
In the fifth, Owen tallied two more assists while Whitaker had the other at second base for a 1-2-3 inning. Nester picked up her only strikeout of the outing in the sixth on the second batter of another three-up, three-down inning. Nester now has 163 strikeouts for the season as well as 507 in her career.
Marshall closed out the game early in the bottom of the sixth. Harrell led off with her third walk of the game and 150th of her career. Freshman Alex Coleman came out to run at first. A ground out from Stevenson pushed Coleman into scoring position at second. Two batters later, with two outs, Owen tallied a base hit to left and Coleman used her speed to cross the plate and give the Herd the mercy-rule win, 9-1.
Harrell's hitting streak came to an end at 10 games. However, the Gahanna, Ohio native reached base safely for the 11th-straight game and the 25th time this season out of 27 games. Harrell also reached base safely for the 175th game of her career out of 193 played (90.7-percent).
Stevenson has hit a home run in four-straight games, a career-best, with five of her six hits in Conference USA play leaving the park. She is slugging .935 for the season and 1.500 in league action. Stevenson leads the team with 31 RBI overall and 11 in just five C-USA games. She has a 7-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in the last 14 in-a-row. Stevenson is the first Marshall batter with a home run in four-straight games since Folden accomplished the feat March 29-April 2, 2008. Both players have five total in the four-game stretches and are tied for the team record.
Owen, Love and Adams all had two hits each. Love drove in two runs to bring her season total to 22. Owen recorded five assists on defense. Love had three putouts including her diving catch. Whitaker had two putouts and two assists.
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: Joyce, Cailey (5-2)
L: DODD, Corrina (6-4)
Batting:
2B: HARRIS, Amaya 1
RBI: HARVEY, Anyce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HARRIS, Amaya 1
Batting:
2B: Owen, Autumn 1 ; Whitaker, Madison 1
HR: Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Adams, Katie 1
RBI: Stevenson, Mya 3 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Owen, Autumn 1 ; Love, Lauren 2 ; Adams, Katie 2
SH: Brown, Armani 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Coleman, Alex 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Owen, Autumn 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Lee, Amaya 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
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