Marshall University Athletics
Friday, March 4
Huntington, W.Va.
11:00 AM
Marshall University
10-5
8
vs
0
Purdue Fort Wayne
1-11
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3
4
5
R
H
E
Purdue Fort Wayne
0
0
0
0
0
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Marshall
2
0
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8
11
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Grace Chelemen scores vs. Maryland Eastern Shore
Photo by: Adam Gue
Softball Delivers Two Shutouts at Dot Hicks Field
3/4/2022 6:50:00 PM | Softball
Nester sets team record for quickest to reach 100 strikeouts in a season
Purdue Fort Wayne Box Score (PDF)
Maryland Eastern Shore Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team took more games at home in the Thundering Herd Round Robin with back-to-back shutouts on Friday. The Herd defeated the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 8-0 in game one and then won game two 4-0 over the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks.
Redshirt junior pitcher Sydney Nester set a Marshall record in the game two win becoming the fastest pitcher in team history to record 100 strikeouts in a season. Nester achieved the feat in the sixth inning against the Hawks, her 58th inning of the year. Nester bested the old mark of 63 innings set by Jordan Dixon (2014-17) in 2015.
The Thundering Herd improved to 11-5 and have tossed three-straight shutouts. The last time Marshall pitched back-to-back shutouts was May 4-9, 2019, when the Herd delivered four-straight shutouts.
Game One: Marshall 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 0 (5 innings)
Redshirt junior Cailey Joyce was in total control in the win over the Mastodons with her first shutout of the season. Joyce allowed just three hits, no walks and struck out seven across five innings. Meanwhile, the offense provided Joyce with plenty of run support with eight runs off 11 hits.
The Herd jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning with two runs. Fifth-year senior Saige Pye reached on a fielder's choice and then moved to third on a double from senior Mya Stevenson. Pye scored on a passed ball that also allowed Stevenson to move to third. Stevenson then scored on a wild pitch. Both runs crossed the plate with freshman Rielly Lucas up to bat.
Joyce allowed just one base runner in the next two innings.
Marshall still led 2-0 as the defense came through with two great plays in the fourth inning, first on a low line-drive catch by freshman Lauren Love at second and then on a grab by fifth-year senior Aly Harrell just before crashing into the first base dugout. Joyce ended the inning with her sixth strikeout to strand a runner on base.
The Herd pieced together some more offense in the fourth with two more runs. Senior Camryn Michallas, who outran a bunt attempt for a base hit, scored off a single from Harrell. Later, Pye plated Love with a single to right to give Marshall a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Joyce ended the inning with her seventh strikeout to strand one more runner on base.
Marshall's offense got rolling in the bottom of the fifth to end the game early by the 8-run, mercy rule. Freshman Bub Feringa, who reached on a single to left, scored the first run off a bases loaded walk to Love. Michallas and freshman Alex Coleman both scored on a single to center from Harrell, who advanced to second on the throw home. With Love at third and Harrell at second, it was déjà vu as Pye drove a pitch into right field once again that scored Love for the eighth run to end the game. Marshall scored all four runs with two outs.
It was the sixth game this season that the Herd has won by the mercy rule.
Pye led the way on offense going 3-of-4 at the plate with two RBI and one run. Harrell was 2-of-3 with three RBI and drew a walk, the 143rd of her career. Harrell needs just five more walks to surpass four-time All-American Rachel Folden (2005-08) to become Marshall's all-time leader in career walks. Stevenson had two hits and one run. Feringa was 2-for-2 at the plate and scored once. Michallas had one hit, a hit-by-pitch and scored two runs. Love scored two runs as well.
Game Two: Marshall 4, Maryland Eastern Shore 0
Sydney Nester went the distance for her seventh win, and fifth shutout of the year while striking out nine on her record-setting day. She allowed just three hits and no walks in seven innings. Nester has already matched her number of shutouts during her time at North Carolina State. The Hillsville, Virginia, native pitched five shutouts in 83 appearances and 46 starts with the Wolfpack. She has five this season in just 12 appearances and nine starts with the Herd.
Nester began the game with three strikeouts in the first to set the tone.
It took a little time for Marshall's offense to get going, finally scoring one run in the bottom of the third. Senior Grace Chelemen led off the inning with a walk then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Coleman. Lauren Love drove home Chelemen with a single to center. It was Love's 13th RBI of the year, good for the second on the team behind Saige Pye's 17.
Aly Harrell ended the top of the fourth with another great play at first with a back-hand snag on a grounder right as she was at the bag for the out.
Mya Stevenson led off the bottom of the fourth with her team-leading seventh double of the season. Two batters later, Stevenson scored from third on a ground out by fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker. Marshall led 2-0.
Nester struck out two more in the fifth to reach 99 for the season. She struck out the second batter in the sixth inning for her 100th this season, and to set the record. Nester ended the inning with her ninth strikeout of the game, stranding a runner on base.
Stevenson led off the sixth outrunning an infield single. Feringa then ripped a double to right-center pushing Stevenson to third. Stevenson came home on a wild pitch with Whitaker at the plate, and Feringa took third. Two batters later, Feringa scored on a sacrifice fly to right from sophomore Autumn Owen. Marshall led 4-0.
The Herd defense took care of business in the seventh, retiring the side in just six pitches.
Love and Stevenson each had two hits as Marshall finished the game with seven. Stevenson also scored two runs. Feringa, Camryn Michallas and Owen each had one hit. Michallas also stole second, her first theft in a Herd uniform.
The Thundering Herd Round Robin continues at Dot Hicks Field on Saturday beginning with Purdue Fort Wayne facing Winthrop at 9 a.m. Marshall then takes the field at 11 a.m. to take on Winthrop, followed by one more game with Maryland Eastern Shore at 1 p.m. The day concludes with Purdue Fort Wayne and Maryland Eastern Shore at 3 p.m.
The Herd's games will be streamed on ESPN+. Click here for the Winthrop game, and click here for the Maryland Eastern Shore game. Both games will also be broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
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.
Maryland Eastern Shore Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team took more games at home in the Thundering Herd Round Robin with back-to-back shutouts on Friday. The Herd defeated the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons 8-0 in game one and then won game two 4-0 over the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks.
Redshirt junior pitcher Sydney Nester set a Marshall record in the game two win becoming the fastest pitcher in team history to record 100 strikeouts in a season. Nester achieved the feat in the sixth inning against the Hawks, her 58th inning of the year. Nester bested the old mark of 63 innings set by Jordan Dixon (2014-17) in 2015.
The Thundering Herd improved to 11-5 and have tossed three-straight shutouts. The last time Marshall pitched back-to-back shutouts was May 4-9, 2019, when the Herd delivered four-straight shutouts.
Game One: Marshall 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 0 (5 innings)
Redshirt junior Cailey Joyce was in total control in the win over the Mastodons with her first shutout of the season. Joyce allowed just three hits, no walks and struck out seven across five innings. Meanwhile, the offense provided Joyce with plenty of run support with eight runs off 11 hits.
The Herd jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning with two runs. Fifth-year senior Saige Pye reached on a fielder's choice and then moved to third on a double from senior Mya Stevenson. Pye scored on a passed ball that also allowed Stevenson to move to third. Stevenson then scored on a wild pitch. Both runs crossed the plate with freshman Rielly Lucas up to bat.
Joyce allowed just one base runner in the next two innings.
Marshall still led 2-0 as the defense came through with two great plays in the fourth inning, first on a low line-drive catch by freshman Lauren Love at second and then on a grab by fifth-year senior Aly Harrell just before crashing into the first base dugout. Joyce ended the inning with her sixth strikeout to strand a runner on base.
The Herd pieced together some more offense in the fourth with two more runs. Senior Camryn Michallas, who outran a bunt attempt for a base hit, scored off a single from Harrell. Later, Pye plated Love with a single to right to give Marshall a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Joyce ended the inning with her seventh strikeout to strand one more runner on base.
Marshall's offense got rolling in the bottom of the fifth to end the game early by the 8-run, mercy rule. Freshman Bub Feringa, who reached on a single to left, scored the first run off a bases loaded walk to Love. Michallas and freshman Alex Coleman both scored on a single to center from Harrell, who advanced to second on the throw home. With Love at third and Harrell at second, it was déjà vu as Pye drove a pitch into right field once again that scored Love for the eighth run to end the game. Marshall scored all four runs with two outs.
It was the sixth game this season that the Herd has won by the mercy rule.
Pye led the way on offense going 3-of-4 at the plate with two RBI and one run. Harrell was 2-of-3 with three RBI and drew a walk, the 143rd of her career. Harrell needs just five more walks to surpass four-time All-American Rachel Folden (2005-08) to become Marshall's all-time leader in career walks. Stevenson had two hits and one run. Feringa was 2-for-2 at the plate and scored once. Michallas had one hit, a hit-by-pitch and scored two runs. Love scored two runs as well.
Game Two: Marshall 4, Maryland Eastern Shore 0
Sydney Nester went the distance for her seventh win, and fifth shutout of the year while striking out nine on her record-setting day. She allowed just three hits and no walks in seven innings. Nester has already matched her number of shutouts during her time at North Carolina State. The Hillsville, Virginia, native pitched five shutouts in 83 appearances and 46 starts with the Wolfpack. She has five this season in just 12 appearances and nine starts with the Herd.
Nester began the game with three strikeouts in the first to set the tone.
It took a little time for Marshall's offense to get going, finally scoring one run in the bottom of the third. Senior Grace Chelemen led off the inning with a walk then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Coleman. Lauren Love drove home Chelemen with a single to center. It was Love's 13th RBI of the year, good for the second on the team behind Saige Pye's 17.
Aly Harrell ended the top of the fourth with another great play at first with a back-hand snag on a grounder right as she was at the bag for the out.
Mya Stevenson led off the bottom of the fourth with her team-leading seventh double of the season. Two batters later, Stevenson scored from third on a ground out by fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker. Marshall led 2-0.
Nester struck out two more in the fifth to reach 99 for the season. She struck out the second batter in the sixth inning for her 100th this season, and to set the record. Nester ended the inning with her ninth strikeout of the game, stranding a runner on base.
Stevenson led off the sixth outrunning an infield single. Feringa then ripped a double to right-center pushing Stevenson to third. Stevenson came home on a wild pitch with Whitaker at the plate, and Feringa took third. Two batters later, Feringa scored on a sacrifice fly to right from sophomore Autumn Owen. Marshall led 4-0.
The Herd defense took care of business in the seventh, retiring the side in just six pitches.
Love and Stevenson each had two hits as Marshall finished the game with seven. Stevenson also scored two runs. Feringa, Camryn Michallas and Owen each had one hit. Michallas also stole second, her first theft in a Herd uniform.
The Thundering Herd Round Robin continues at Dot Hicks Field on Saturday beginning with Purdue Fort Wayne facing Winthrop at 9 a.m. Marshall then takes the field at 11 a.m. to take on Winthrop, followed by one more game with Maryland Eastern Shore at 1 p.m. The day concludes with Purdue Fort Wayne and Maryland Eastern Shore at 3 p.m.
The Herd's games will be streamed on ESPN+. Click here for the Winthrop game, and click here for the Maryland Eastern Shore game. Both games will also be broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
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 (3-2)
L: Shaina Eyre (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Brooke Wintlend 1
Batting:
2B: Stevenson, Mya 1
RBI: Love, Lauren 1 ; Harrell, Aly 3 ; Pye, Saige 2
SH: Coleman, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Love, Lauren 2 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Feringa, Bub 1 ; Michallas, Camryn 2 ; Coleman, Alex 1
HBP: Michallas, Camryn 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
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OF
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INF
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P
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INF
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INF
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INF
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P
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
P
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INF
/ SoftballMarshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
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Marshall Softball: HC Morgan Zerkle, Haleigh Adkins, Paige Maynard (Post-Coastal)
Friday, April 18
Hype and Harmony: the Team Personality Fuels Success #softball
Thursday, April 17