Marshall University Athletics
Friday, April 15
Huntington, W.Va.
1:00 PM
Marshall University
27-11, 10-4
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Florida International University
17-23, 3-11
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FIU
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Marshall
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Photo by: Ben Wheeler
Coach Smith Lyon Earns 500th Career Win as Softball Edges out FIU
4/15/2022 4:55:00 PM | Softball
107 wins have been at Marshall since 2019
Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall softball head coach Megan Smith Lyon picked up her 500th career victory as the Herd defeated the FIU Panthers 3-2 on Friday at Dot Hicks Field. 107 of those wins have been with Marshall since taking over in 2019.
The Thundering Herd improved to 27-11 overall and 10-4 in Conference USA while also picking up the series win. The Panthers fall to 17-23 overall and 3-11 in league action. Game three is set for tomorrow at 12 p.m. and will be Emileigh Cooper Day as Marshall will announce the 2022 Warrior Award winner before the game. The series finale will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Coach Smith Lyon picked up her first collegiate coaching victory in 2001 while leading Young Harris. After two years of taking her school to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Regionals, her win total stood at 79. She went back to being a head coach after a few years as an assistant at her alma mater UNC, taking the lead at Western Carolina and starting the program from the beginning. Smith Lyon spent one season in Cullowhee picking up 41 wins as her team smashed 81 home runs in its very first season of existence, which is a team record that still stands today. She earned her 100th career win in 2006 with the Catamounts.
Smith Lyon then went back to being an assistant taking a position with the LSU Tigers in the Southeastern Conference. The call to be a head coach brought her out to Lawrence, Kansas, to where she led the Jayhawks for nine seasons picking up another 273 victories. When Smith Lyon made the move to Huntington, she had 393 career victories. She earned her first Marshall win in her first game with a 5-2 decision over UC-Riverside. Smith Lyon later became the fastest in team history to reach 50 program wins coming in her 76th game with an 8-0 victory over Rhode Island on Feb 23, 2020. Earlier this season, on April 1, Smith Lyon became the fastest coach to reach 100 wins with the Herd in an 11-4 victory over Charlotte in her 151st game. And now, she has reached another great coaching milestone with her 500th career win. Her players dunked her with the water cooler as well to celebrate.
All three of her head coaching stops at the Division I level, her teams have recorded the program home run record. The 81 in 2006 with Western Carolina also stood as the Southern Conference record until UNC Greensboro hit 90 in 2021. In 2011 at Kansas, the Jayhawks hit 60 bombs which remains the team record. In Smith Lyon's first season with the Herd, Marshall smashed its program record of 52 set back in 2008, with an astounding 79. Her squad was on pace to obliterate even that mark in 2020 before the remainder of the season was canceled. So far this year, Marshall has hit 50 homers.
At the Division I level, Megan Smith Lyon coached teams have hit a total of 687 home runs, an average of 49.07 per season over her 14 years. In her almost four seasons at Marshall, the Herd has blasted 227 bombs over 160 games, good for an average of 1.42 per game and 56.75 per season and growing.
Former Marshall softball star pitcher Abigail Tolbert (2016-19) got the day started throwing out the ceremonial first pitch as the Herd continues to honor women in sports. Tolbert is currently a student in medical school here at Marshall.
Sophomore Brianna McCown got the start in the circle and pitched through five innings. She allowed three hits, one run and struck out four while picking up her second win of the season. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester came in for the last two innings and earned her third save of the year.
McCown struggled some in the start as she walked the first two batters. She then battled back retiring the next three to strand both runners. FIU managed to get the first two batters on base in the second inning as well from a base hit and one hit-by-pitch. However, McCown rebounded again with her first strikeout of the game and then back-to-back outs recorded by fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker at second.
Marshall got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore Autumn Owen led off with a walk and then two batters later Whitaker also drew a walk. Fifth-year senior Armani Brown joined them on base on a fielder's choice with everyone safe. Freshman Alex Coleman grounded into a fielder's choice that retired Brown going to second, but did drive home Owen from third. Fifth-year senior Aly Harrell reached on a hit-by-pitch to load the bases yet again and then senior Grace Chelemen drew a bases loaded walk to score Whitaker. The Herd led 2-0.
In the top of the third, Brown made two great plays from her shortstop position and fifth-year senior Katie Adams threw out a runner attempting to steal second. McCown kept Marshall out in front by striking out the side in the top of the fourth in just 12 pitches.
FIU scored one run in the top of the fifth as Vanessa Gallegos hit her second home run of the season with a solo shot to left-center.
The Herd put the lead back to two in the bottom of the fifth. Owen led off with a single down the right field line. Adams got on next with a base hit up the middle that brought on a pitching change for the Panthers. Whitaker dropped down a sacrifice bunt that moved both Owen and Adams into scoring position. Two batters later, with two away, Coleman ripped a single to center that plated Owen and Marshall led 3-1.
Nester entered the circle to begin the sixth inning. FIU scored one run in the top of the sixth to cut the Herd lead to one, 3-2. In the bottom of the sixth, fifth-year senior Saige Pye started the inning with a single up the middle and redshirt freshman Amaya Lee came in to run at first. However, Marshall could not find the timely hit and went into the seventh with a one-run lead.
In the top of the seventh, Nester struck out the first batter. Next, Alexis Ross got on with a single and moved into scoring position. The Herd's defense came through as Whitaker fielded a grounder at second for the second out and then Nester struck out the next batter to end the game and strand the tying run at third.
On offense Marshall had seven hits, four hit-by-pitches and three walks. Coleman led the way with two hits and two RBI. She reached base safely in all three plate appearances getting on from the fielder's choice in the second and then base hits in the fourth and fifth innings. The Asheboro, N.C., native tied her career-high of two RBI from back on Feb. 25 against Howard in her first collegiate start.
Whitaker reached base safely twice with a walk and a hit-by-pitch extending her on base streak to 15-straight games. It is the third-longest streak on the team this season. On defense Whitaker had four putouts and four assists.
Owen also reached twice with a hit and a walk and scored two of Marshall's three runs. Adams extended her hitting streak to six games with her single in the fifth. Senior Mya Stevenson recorded her 40th hit of the season with a single in the first and also reached on a hit-by-pitch in the third.
Harrell was hit by a pitch twice, in the second and the fifth innings, for the fourth time this season and the 11th contest of her career. The Gahanna, Ohio, native now has 50 career hit-by-pitches. She is three plunks away from tying Marshall's all-time leader Marcena Bertoldo (2007-10) who had 53. Harrell has drawn 29 walks and 15 hit-by-pitches this season and has a .626 on base percentage.
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 head coach Megan Smith Lyon picked up her 500th career victory as the Herd defeated the FIU Panthers 3-2 on Friday at Dot Hicks Field. 107 of those wins have been with Marshall since taking over in 2019.
The Thundering Herd improved to 27-11 overall and 10-4 in Conference USA while also picking up the series win. The Panthers fall to 17-23 overall and 3-11 in league action. Game three is set for tomorrow at 12 p.m. and will be Emileigh Cooper Day as Marshall will announce the 2022 Warrior Award winner before the game. The series finale will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Coach Smith Lyon picked up her first collegiate coaching victory in 2001 while leading Young Harris. After two years of taking her school to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Regionals, her win total stood at 79. She went back to being a head coach after a few years as an assistant at her alma mater UNC, taking the lead at Western Carolina and starting the program from the beginning. Smith Lyon spent one season in Cullowhee picking up 41 wins as her team smashed 81 home runs in its very first season of existence, which is a team record that still stands today. She earned her 100th career win in 2006 with the Catamounts.
Smith Lyon then went back to being an assistant taking a position with the LSU Tigers in the Southeastern Conference. The call to be a head coach brought her out to Lawrence, Kansas, to where she led the Jayhawks for nine seasons picking up another 273 victories. When Smith Lyon made the move to Huntington, she had 393 career victories. She earned her first Marshall win in her first game with a 5-2 decision over UC-Riverside. Smith Lyon later became the fastest in team history to reach 50 program wins coming in her 76th game with an 8-0 victory over Rhode Island on Feb 23, 2020. Earlier this season, on April 1, Smith Lyon became the fastest coach to reach 100 wins with the Herd in an 11-4 victory over Charlotte in her 151st game. And now, she has reached another great coaching milestone with her 500th career win. Her players dunked her with the water cooler as well to celebrate.
All three of her head coaching stops at the Division I level, her teams have recorded the program home run record. The 81 in 2006 with Western Carolina also stood as the Southern Conference record until UNC Greensboro hit 90 in 2021. In 2011 at Kansas, the Jayhawks hit 60 bombs which remains the team record. In Smith Lyon's first season with the Herd, Marshall smashed its program record of 52 set back in 2008, with an astounding 79. Her squad was on pace to obliterate even that mark in 2020 before the remainder of the season was canceled. So far this year, Marshall has hit 50 homers.
At the Division I level, Megan Smith Lyon coached teams have hit a total of 687 home runs, an average of 49.07 per season over her 14 years. In her almost four seasons at Marshall, the Herd has blasted 227 bombs over 160 games, good for an average of 1.42 per game and 56.75 per season and growing.
Former Marshall softball star pitcher Abigail Tolbert (2016-19) got the day started throwing out the ceremonial first pitch as the Herd continues to honor women in sports. Tolbert is currently a student in medical school here at Marshall.
Sophomore Brianna McCown got the start in the circle and pitched through five innings. She allowed three hits, one run and struck out four while picking up her second win of the season. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester came in for the last two innings and earned her third save of the year.
McCown struggled some in the start as she walked the first two batters. She then battled back retiring the next three to strand both runners. FIU managed to get the first two batters on base in the second inning as well from a base hit and one hit-by-pitch. However, McCown rebounded again with her first strikeout of the game and then back-to-back outs recorded by fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker at second.
Marshall got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore Autumn Owen led off with a walk and then two batters later Whitaker also drew a walk. Fifth-year senior Armani Brown joined them on base on a fielder's choice with everyone safe. Freshman Alex Coleman grounded into a fielder's choice that retired Brown going to second, but did drive home Owen from third. Fifth-year senior Aly Harrell reached on a hit-by-pitch to load the bases yet again and then senior Grace Chelemen drew a bases loaded walk to score Whitaker. The Herd led 2-0.
In the top of the third, Brown made two great plays from her shortstop position and fifth-year senior Katie Adams threw out a runner attempting to steal second. McCown kept Marshall out in front by striking out the side in the top of the fourth in just 12 pitches.
FIU scored one run in the top of the fifth as Vanessa Gallegos hit her second home run of the season with a solo shot to left-center.
The Herd put the lead back to two in the bottom of the fifth. Owen led off with a single down the right field line. Adams got on next with a base hit up the middle that brought on a pitching change for the Panthers. Whitaker dropped down a sacrifice bunt that moved both Owen and Adams into scoring position. Two batters later, with two away, Coleman ripped a single to center that plated Owen and Marshall led 3-1.
Nester entered the circle to begin the sixth inning. FIU scored one run in the top of the sixth to cut the Herd lead to one, 3-2. In the bottom of the sixth, fifth-year senior Saige Pye started the inning with a single up the middle and redshirt freshman Amaya Lee came in to run at first. However, Marshall could not find the timely hit and went into the seventh with a one-run lead.
In the top of the seventh, Nester struck out the first batter. Next, Alexis Ross got on with a single and moved into scoring position. The Herd's defense came through as Whitaker fielded a grounder at second for the second out and then Nester struck out the next batter to end the game and strand the tying run at third.
On offense Marshall had seven hits, four hit-by-pitches and three walks. Coleman led the way with two hits and two RBI. She reached base safely in all three plate appearances getting on from the fielder's choice in the second and then base hits in the fourth and fifth innings. The Asheboro, N.C., native tied her career-high of two RBI from back on Feb. 25 against Howard in her first collegiate start.
Whitaker reached base safely twice with a walk and a hit-by-pitch extending her on base streak to 15-straight games. It is the third-longest streak on the team this season. On defense Whitaker had four putouts and four assists.
Owen also reached twice with a hit and a walk and scored two of Marshall's three runs. Adams extended her hitting streak to six games with her single in the fifth. Senior Mya Stevenson recorded her 40th hit of the season with a single in the first and also reached on a hit-by-pitch in the third.
Harrell was hit by a pitch twice, in the second and the fifth innings, for the fourth time this season and the 11th contest of her career. The Gahanna, Ohio, native now has 50 career hit-by-pitches. She is three plunks away from tying Marshall's all-time leader Marcena Bertoldo (2007-10) who had 53. Harrell has drawn 29 walks and 15 hit-by-pitches this season and has a .626 on base percentage.
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: McCown, Brianna (2-3)
L: Brooklynn Linneman (8-4)
S: Nester, Sydney (3)
Batting:
HR: Venessa Gallegos 1
RBI: Venessa Gallegos 1 ; Abigail Brown 1
SH: Brittany Phillips 1
SF: Abigail Brown 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Venessa Gallegos 1 ; Bailey Grossenbacher 1
SB: Alexis Ross 2 ; Bailey Grossenbacher 1
CS: Brittany Phillips 1
HBP: Abigail Brown 1
Batting:
RBI: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Coleman, Alex 2
SH: Whitaker, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Owen, Autumn 2 ; Whitaker, Madison 1
SB: Stevenson, Mya 1
CS: Stevenson, Mya 1
HBP: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Stevenson, Mya 1 ; Whitaker, Madison 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
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/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
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