Softball Set for Midweek Doubleheader at NKU

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Marshall softball team is on the road for a non-conference midweek doubleheader against the Northern Kentucky Norse, set for Tuesday beginning at 2 p.m.

The Thundering Herd enters the meeting with an overall record of 24-10. The Norse come in with a 15-22 record. The game will not have a video stream but will be broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul with Scott Hall on the call.

Game Details
Game One – 2 p.m.
Game Two – 4:30 p.m.
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Marshall Radio: 88.1 WMUL-FM, audio streamed online www.marshall.edu/wmul
Series History: 6 all-time meetings – Marshall leads 6-0
Last Meeting: April 22, 2015, in Huntington – Marshall won the doubleheader 9-2 and 6-3

It has been seven years since the two programs met on the field. Marshall and Northern Kentucky were scheduled for a single game in Highland Heights on April 7, 2020. The game was canceled when the remainder of the season was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Herd and the Norse played in a doubleheader from 2013 through 2015. The meeting in 2014 was a record-setting day for Marshall. The Herd collected a team record of 19 hits and five home runs in the game one, five-inning victory, 17-0. Both of those marks have since been tied. Then sophomore Shaelynn Braxton tied a program record with three home runs in the game one win. She went on to hit another in game two.

Marshall is coming off a series win on the road against the Florida Atlantic Owls, April 8-10. The Herd came from behind to win game one 7-2 in eight innings, then lost game two 4-1, before rebounding to take game three 4-3 and the series two games to one. It was Marshall's third-straight C-USA series win after sweeps over Middle Tennessee and Charlotte.

Redshirt junior pitcher Sydney Nester was named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week for the fifth time this season. Nester fired off 26 more strikeouts across 15 innings. She picked up two more wins and became the fastest player in team history to 200 strikeouts in a season, accomplishing the feat in her 26th appearance and 137 innings pitched.

Fifth-year senior Aly Harrell continues to lead the way on offense with a .479 batting average and an on base percentage of .626. Harrell smacked the 46th home run of her career in the game three victory. She was also plunked twice in the Sunday series finale moving her into second all-time in team history with 47 hit-by-pitches. Harrell surpassed her former teammate Sierra Huerta (2019-21) to take over second place.

Senior Mya Stevenson sent two more bombs out of the park in the game one comeback victory. Her first home run came right after fifth-year senior Saige Pye belted one to lead off the top of the seventh. Stevenson's solo homer tied the game at 2-2. Her second home run was a three-run blast through the palm trees that put Marshall ahead 7-2 in the top of the eighth. It was her 14th homer of the season and 54th of her career. Stevenson is just five home runs away from claiming the all-time MUSB record which has been held by Marshall Hall of Famer Rachel Folden (2005-08) with 58.

The Herd is 21st in the NCAA in home runs per game (1.38) as the bats have smashed 47 in 34 games. Marshall leads C-USA. Nine players have hit at least one while six have punched out at least three. Stevenson leads the way; however Pye is right behind her with a career-high 12. Harrell is third with six and fellow fifth-year senior Katie Adams has five.

Nester has a 1.64 ERA, 17-5 record and 213 strikeouts in 145 innings pitched. She is third in the country in strikeouts and fifth in shutouts with seven.

Following the doubleheader at Northern Kentucky, the Herd will be back at Dot Hicks Field for a three-game series against FIU, April 14-16. The series finale on Saturday, April 16, is set to be Emileigh Cooper Day as Marshall will hand out the 2022 Warrior Award in a ceremony on the field before the game. The weekend will also be Alumni Weekend as the Herd will honor MUSB alum on the field as well.

The Opponent
Northern Kentucky is coming off a Horizon League series loss to Robert Morris at home. The Colonials won game one 5-3 in nine innings and then game three 5-3. The Norse took game two 1-0. Alicia Flores pitched the complete-game shutout win in game two. Flores allowed just two hits and walked one while striking out 11 in her first career shutout. Her season and career-high was 12 strikeouts in a win over Canisius on Feb. 20.

In the circle, the Norse have a team ERA of 3.85. Madisyn Eads leads the way with a 3.35 ERA, 8-9 record and 62 strikeouts in 96 innings. Flores has a 3.76 ERA, 4-7 record and 77 strikeouts in 70.2 innings. Lauryn Hicks leads the pitching staff in strikeouts with 81 in 68.1 innings pitched. Hicks has a 4.00 ERA and a 2-5 record.

On offense, Northern Kentucky is batting .220 as a unit. Kendyl McKeough is the only starter batting over .300 (.321) and she has nine of the team's 14 total home runs. She leads the team with 36 hits, 21 runs scored, 11 doubles, 23 RBI, and slugging .661. Tatum Biddle leads with three triples.

The defense has a team fielding percentage of .964.

Head coach Kathryn Gleason is in her seventh season leading the Norse and she has tallied 110 wins. Following the doubleheader against the Herd, Northern Kentucky will hit the road for a three-game Horizon League series at Youngstown State, April 15-16.

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.

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Players Mentioned

Katie Adams

Aly Harrell

Sierra Huerta

Sydney Nester

Saige Pye

Mya Stevenson

Marshall University Athletics