Herd Downs Owls in Series Finale

Box Score

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Behind 3.1 perfect innings from reliever Carter Lyles and a clutch double by Daniel Carinci in the eighth, the Marshall University baseball team (12-11-1, 2-4 C-USA) took game three from the Rice Owls (8-17, 3-3 C-USA), 5-4, on Sunday at the Kennedy Center.

"I'm proud of the way we came back," Herd baseball head coach Jeff Waggoner said after the win. "We haven't been playing well. The guys needed to step up and they did today. Hopefully we can build some momentum off this. It was good to see Zac (Addkison) go out there and throw really well when the team needed it. Carter (Lyles), I'm so excited for him. He's a guy that came in and threw well. The offense showed up today, had a great attitude and played hard. If we do those things, we're going to be a really good team."

Two-out lightning struck for the Herd in the bottom of the first. With a 2-2 count, Ryan Leitch doubled to center. Cole Williams and Travis Sankovich then each recorded two-out singles to left to give Marshall a 2-0 lead.

Marshall starter Zac Addkison started the contest with three scoreless innings, allowing just two base runners on a hit and a walk while striking out five Owls including the side in the top of the third.

MU tallied another two-out run in the bottom of the third after Leitch singled and Williams followed with a double down the right-field line to put the home side up 3-0.

Rice answered with a run in the fourth and took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth. However, the deficit was short lived as in the next half inning Luke Edwards doubled to left and one batter later Leitch brought him home with a single to tie the ball game 4-4.

Relief pitcher Carter Lyles came on for Addkison in the top of the sixth with the bases loaded and two outs. Lyles induced an inning-ending groundout to get the Herd out of the jam and keep the game tied 4-4.

Kyle Schaefer led off the bottom of the eighth with a walk and a steal of second base. Daniel Carinci then stepped to the plate. The first baseman poked a 2-2 pitch just past the Rice first baseman down the right-field line for a double, scoring Schaefer to give Marshall a 5-4 advantage.

Lyles finished the ninth for the Herd as he concluded his outing 3.1 perfect innings to preserve the win. The junior righty recorded all 10 of his outs by either a groundout or a strikeout en route to his second win of the season.

Leitch went 3-for-4 in the victory as Williams also had a multi-hit effort.

Edwards reached base safely in his 33rd straight game dating back to last season.

Addkison struck out seven Owls in 5.2 innings of work.

UP NEXT
Marshall is back in action on Tuesday at the Kennedy Center when it hosts the West Virginia Mountaineers at 3 p.m.

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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Team Stats

Ryan Leitch

Cole Williams

Travis Sankovich

Luke Edwards

Players Mentioned

Zac Addkison

Daniel Carinci

Luke Edwards

Ryan Leitch

Carter Lyles

Travis Sankovich

Kyle Schaefer

Cole Williams

Players Mentioned

Zac Addkison

Daniel Carinci

Luke Edwards

Ryan Leitch

Carter Lyles

Travis Sankovich

Kyle Schaefer

Cole Williams

Marshall University Athletics