Marshall University Athletics
Thursday, April 14
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
26-11, 9-4
6
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Florida International University
17-22, 3-10
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FIU
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Marshall
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X
6
11
0
Photo by: Adam Gue
Softball Shuts Out Panthers in Game One
4/14/2022 4:46:00 PM | Softball
Nester earns 19th win and eighth shutout of the season
Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team took game one of the series with the FIU Panthers, 6-0, on Thursday at Dot Hicks Field. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester picked up her 19th win of the season and the 50th of her collegiate career.
The Thundering Herd improved to 26-11 overall and 9-4 in Conference USA action. The Panthers fall to 17-22 overall and 3-10 in league play. Game two of the series is set for Friday at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
The day began with a special ceremonial first pitch as Jill Rowland, who played softball at Marshall from 1979-81 as one of the absolute originals before it was a school sponsored sport, came out and delivered a great pitch as Marshall softball continues to honor women in sports.
Nester tossed her 21st complete game of the year and allowed just three hits. The shutout was her eighth of the season and first since March 11 against Fairfield (8-0). Nester is now tied for the fourth-most shutouts in a single season in team history. Marshall Hall of Famer Cristy Waring (1995-98) owns the record with 12 shutouts in 1997. Nester struck out eight more batters bringing her season total to 226, and her career tally to 570.
The Marshall offense was rolling consistently throughout the contest finishing with 11 hits. It was the 14th game this year that the Herd has recorded double-digit hits in a contest. All nine players in the lineup had at least one hit with fifth-year senior Saige Pye and senior Mya Stevenson leading the way with two each. Pye and Stevenson each had two RBI as well.
Marshall scored first with one run in the first inning after Nester threw just nine pitches to retire the side in the top of frame. Fifth-year senior Aly Harrell led off with a walk then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior Grace Chelemen. Two batters later, with Harrell at third and two outs, Stevenson recorded her first hit with an infield single that allowed Harrell to score.
The long ball returned in the second inning. Sophomore Autumn Owen drew a walk to lead off the second and then fifth-year senior Katie Adams sent a blast out to center. The two-run home run gave Marshall a 3-0 lead. It was Adams' sixth homer of the year and 13th of her career. Later in the inning, fifth-year senior Armani Brown legged out an infield single, but was stranded at first.
In the bottom of the third, Pye belted a deep shot to right-center for a solo home run. The blast was her 13th of the season, 27th in her time at Marshall and 28th of her collegiate career. Pye is now tied for eighth all-time in program history with Leigh Wintter (2003-06) and Alianna Telles (2009-12). Marshall led 4-0. Pye's home run was the 50th of the year for the Herd.
The Panthers recorded its first hit of the game in the fourth with a leadoff single. The defense made the plays from there retiring the next three batters, and stranding the runner at third.
Marshall loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth as fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker and freshman Lauren Love had back-to-back infield singles. Harrell was walked for the second time in the contest but the Herd could not take advantage. Harrell's all-time record walks counter is now at 160, and it was the 43rd time that she has been walked at least twice in a game.
The defense continued its solid play behind Nester throughout the day. FIU put two runners on in the fifth, but a grounder to Brown at short, who made the throw to Harrell at first, ended the inning and kept the shutout alive.
Pye had her second hit of the day in the fifth and Owen ripped a double to right, however FIU made the plays to finish the inning and keep the Herd's lead at four.
In the top of the sixth, the Panthers got the leadoff batter on from a single. But again, Marshall's defense came through. Nester recorded the first out on a grounder back to the circle followed by a liner to Brown at short. Nester then struck out the next batter, her sixth of the game.
The Herd put two more runs up in the bottom of the sixth, and both coming with two outs. Harrell got the two-out rally started with a double to left-center, her 11th of the season tied for the team lead with Stevenson. Sophomore Kay Kay Kenney entered to run for Harrell at second and scored on a single to center from Chelemen. Pye reached base safely for the third time drawing a walk in a 12-pitch battle with Kendahl Dunford. Pye fouled off eight pitches. With Chelemen now at second, Stevenson had her second hit of the game with a base hit up the middle that allowed Chelemen to cross the plate. Marshall led 6-0.
FIU drew a walk to lead off the top of the seventh. A grounder to Whitaker at second was the first out. Nester then struck out the next two batters to earn the win and keep the shutout.
Whitaker and Owen both finished with four assists. Brown had two assists and one putout. Harrell tallied 10 putouts at first, her fifth game of the season with 10 or more.
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. – The Marshall softball team took game one of the series with the FIU Panthers, 6-0, on Thursday at Dot Hicks Field. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester picked up her 19th win of the season and the 50th of her collegiate career.
The Thundering Herd improved to 26-11 overall and 9-4 in Conference USA action. The Panthers fall to 17-22 overall and 3-10 in league play. Game two of the series is set for Friday at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
The day began with a special ceremonial first pitch as Jill Rowland, who played softball at Marshall from 1979-81 as one of the absolute originals before it was a school sponsored sport, came out and delivered a great pitch as Marshall softball continues to honor women in sports.
Nester tossed her 21st complete game of the year and allowed just three hits. The shutout was her eighth of the season and first since March 11 against Fairfield (8-0). Nester is now tied for the fourth-most shutouts in a single season in team history. Marshall Hall of Famer Cristy Waring (1995-98) owns the record with 12 shutouts in 1997. Nester struck out eight more batters bringing her season total to 226, and her career tally to 570.
The Marshall offense was rolling consistently throughout the contest finishing with 11 hits. It was the 14th game this year that the Herd has recorded double-digit hits in a contest. All nine players in the lineup had at least one hit with fifth-year senior Saige Pye and senior Mya Stevenson leading the way with two each. Pye and Stevenson each had two RBI as well.
Marshall scored first with one run in the first inning after Nester threw just nine pitches to retire the side in the top of frame. Fifth-year senior Aly Harrell led off with a walk then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from senior Grace Chelemen. Two batters later, with Harrell at third and two outs, Stevenson recorded her first hit with an infield single that allowed Harrell to score.
The long ball returned in the second inning. Sophomore Autumn Owen drew a walk to lead off the second and then fifth-year senior Katie Adams sent a blast out to center. The two-run home run gave Marshall a 3-0 lead. It was Adams' sixth homer of the year and 13th of her career. Later in the inning, fifth-year senior Armani Brown legged out an infield single, but was stranded at first.
In the bottom of the third, Pye belted a deep shot to right-center for a solo home run. The blast was her 13th of the season, 27th in her time at Marshall and 28th of her collegiate career. Pye is now tied for eighth all-time in program history with Leigh Wintter (2003-06) and Alianna Telles (2009-12). Marshall led 4-0. Pye's home run was the 50th of the year for the Herd.
The Panthers recorded its first hit of the game in the fourth with a leadoff single. The defense made the plays from there retiring the next three batters, and stranding the runner at third.
Marshall loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth as fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker and freshman Lauren Love had back-to-back infield singles. Harrell was walked for the second time in the contest but the Herd could not take advantage. Harrell's all-time record walks counter is now at 160, and it was the 43rd time that she has been walked at least twice in a game.
The defense continued its solid play behind Nester throughout the day. FIU put two runners on in the fifth, but a grounder to Brown at short, who made the throw to Harrell at first, ended the inning and kept the shutout alive.
Pye had her second hit of the day in the fifth and Owen ripped a double to right, however FIU made the plays to finish the inning and keep the Herd's lead at four.
In the top of the sixth, the Panthers got the leadoff batter on from a single. But again, Marshall's defense came through. Nester recorded the first out on a grounder back to the circle followed by a liner to Brown at short. Nester then struck out the next batter, her sixth of the game.
The Herd put two more runs up in the bottom of the sixth, and both coming with two outs. Harrell got the two-out rally started with a double to left-center, her 11th of the season tied for the team lead with Stevenson. Sophomore Kay Kay Kenney entered to run for Harrell at second and scored on a single to center from Chelemen. Pye reached base safely for the third time drawing a walk in a 12-pitch battle with Kendahl Dunford. Pye fouled off eight pitches. With Chelemen now at second, Stevenson had her second hit of the game with a base hit up the middle that allowed Chelemen to cross the plate. Marshall led 6-0.
FIU drew a walk to lead off the top of the seventh. A grounder to Whitaker at second was the first out. Nester then struck out the next two batters to earn the win and keep the shutout.
Whitaker and Owen both finished with four assists. Brown had two assists and one putout. Harrell tallied 10 putouts at first, her fifth game of the season with 10 or more.
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 (19-5)
L: Kendahl Dunford (5-11)
Base Running:
SB: Alexis Ross 2 ; Bailey Grossenbacher 1 ; Abigail Brown 2 ; Makayla Garcia 1
PO: Makayla Garcia 1
Batting:
2B: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Owen, Autumn 1
HR: Pye, Saige 1 ; Adams, Katie 1
RBI: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 2 ; Adams, Katie 2
SH: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Brown, Armani 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Kenney, Kay Kay 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Pye, Saige 1 ; Owen, Autumn 1 ; Adams, Katie 1
SB: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Brown, Armani 1
CS: Stevenson, Mya 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
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4
R
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H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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INF
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OF
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C/INF
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INF
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