Marshall University Athletics
Friday, April 22
Bowling Green, KY
7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT
Marshall University
30-11, 12-4
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Western Kentucky University
28-9, 11-5
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Nester Ks 11 as Softball Pulls Out Game One Win
4/22/2022 11:16:00 PM | Softball
Stevenson belts 56th career home run in the first
Box Score (PDF)
Nester Ks 11 as Softball Pulls Out Game One Win
Stevenson belts 56th career home run in the first
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Marshall softball team took game one at WKU, 2-0, in a great matchup Friday night of the two Conference USA East Division leaders. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester struck out 11 batters and senior Mya Stevenson belted her 56th career home run in the victory.
The Thundering Herd improved to 30-11 overall and 12-4 in conference play. The Hilltoppers fall to 28-9 and 11-5 in league action. Game two is set for 1 p.m. local time, 2 p.m. eastern on Saturday. The game will be streamed on HSSN on Facebook as well as broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul with Scott Hall on the call.
Nester recorded her 11th game of the season with 10 or more strikeouts, tied for second-most in team history with Marshall Hall of Famer Sara Gulla (1998-2001) in 2001. Nester allowed just two hits in picking up her 10th shutout of the year. She is now tied with another Herd Hall of Famer in Cristy Waring (1995-98), who had 10 in 1996, for the third-most shutouts in a single season. Nester brings her season strikeout total to 246. She has pitched 24 complete games out of 26 starts.
Stevenson pulled herself ever so much closer to the Marshall all-time home run record. Her two-run bomb to right field in the top of the first was also her 16th of season. Stevenson just needs two more homers to tie Herd Hall of Famer Rachel Folden (2005-08) for the top spot in team history.
Stevenson's home run proved to be the difference in the pitching and defensive duel. With one out in the top of the first, fifth-year senior Aly Harrell reached on a walk, the 165th of her career. Two batters later, with two outs, Stevenson belted the first pitch of the at bat over the fence to give Marshall the early lead.
WKU managed to get base runners on in every inning except two, but could not find the timely hit. Nester hit the leadoff batter in the bottom of the first and then got the assist on a grounder back to the circle for the first out before striking out the last two stranding the runner, at second.
The leadoff batter for the Hilltoppers reached off a walk in the second and then Nester struck out the next three to end the inning. The strikeout streak rolled on through the third as she struck out the side making it six-straight batters retired by the K. Nester brought her game total to eight by the end of the third.
Marshall also managed to get people on base in five of the seven innings as well. However, WKU's defense and starting pitcher Shelby Nunn were able to get out of the inning.
In the fourth, the Hilltoppers tallied its first base hit of the day to lead off. However, a liner to Stevenson in right and then back-to-back ground outs to Nester in the circle again stranded another runner in scoring position.
The bottom of the fifth was a 1-2-3 inning for the Herd defense as Nester also recorded her ninth strikeout of the night.
In the sixth, Nester allowed two walks but quickly rebounded with the go-ahead run represented at the plate. The Hillsville, Virginia, struck out her 10th batter to finish the inning leaving two on base. It wasn't the last time that Nester came up big in a pressure situation.
After the Herd bats were retired in order in the top of the seventh, WKU started the bottom of the seventh with a single to left from Maddie Bowlds. Next, Nester issued her fourth walk of the game after a 10-pitch battle. Again, the go-ahead run was represented at the plate. The next batter grounded to sophomore Autumn Owen at third who made a great toss to fifth-year shortstop Armani Brown coming to cover third to retire the lead runner. The Hilltoppers still had two runners on base.
With one out, the next batter lifted a shot into shallow left field by the line. Brown took off from her shortstop position and made the catch on the run for the second out. Nester, the six-time Conference USA Pitcher of the Week, then retired the next batter on a called strike three on the seventh pitch of the at bat. Her 11th of the night finished the game and preserved the win for the Herd.
Marshall had five hits in the win. Freshman Alex Coleman had two hits using her speed to leg out two infield singles. She also had one stolen base. Harrell, along with being walked once, was hit by a pitch in her second plate appearance. It was the 51st of her career as she is now just two plunks away from tying the Herd all-time record of 53 held by Marcena Bertoldo (2007-10).
Owen and fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker had one hit each. Whitaker's single in the second increased her streak to 18-straight games reaching base safely.
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.
Nester Ks 11 as Softball Pulls Out Game One Win
Stevenson belts 56th career home run in the first
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Marshall softball team took game one at WKU, 2-0, in a great matchup Friday night of the two Conference USA East Division leaders. Redshirt junior Sydney Nester struck out 11 batters and senior Mya Stevenson belted her 56th career home run in the victory.
The Thundering Herd improved to 30-11 overall and 12-4 in conference play. The Hilltoppers fall to 28-9 and 11-5 in league action. Game two is set for 1 p.m. local time, 2 p.m. eastern on Saturday. The game will be streamed on HSSN on Facebook as well as broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul with Scott Hall on the call.
Nester recorded her 11th game of the season with 10 or more strikeouts, tied for second-most in team history with Marshall Hall of Famer Sara Gulla (1998-2001) in 2001. Nester allowed just two hits in picking up her 10th shutout of the year. She is now tied with another Herd Hall of Famer in Cristy Waring (1995-98), who had 10 in 1996, for the third-most shutouts in a single season. Nester brings her season strikeout total to 246. She has pitched 24 complete games out of 26 starts.
Stevenson pulled herself ever so much closer to the Marshall all-time home run record. Her two-run bomb to right field in the top of the first was also her 16th of season. Stevenson just needs two more homers to tie Herd Hall of Famer Rachel Folden (2005-08) for the top spot in team history.
Stevenson's home run proved to be the difference in the pitching and defensive duel. With one out in the top of the first, fifth-year senior Aly Harrell reached on a walk, the 165th of her career. Two batters later, with two outs, Stevenson belted the first pitch of the at bat over the fence to give Marshall the early lead.
WKU managed to get base runners on in every inning except two, but could not find the timely hit. Nester hit the leadoff batter in the bottom of the first and then got the assist on a grounder back to the circle for the first out before striking out the last two stranding the runner, at second.
The leadoff batter for the Hilltoppers reached off a walk in the second and then Nester struck out the next three to end the inning. The strikeout streak rolled on through the third as she struck out the side making it six-straight batters retired by the K. Nester brought her game total to eight by the end of the third.
Marshall also managed to get people on base in five of the seven innings as well. However, WKU's defense and starting pitcher Shelby Nunn were able to get out of the inning.
In the fourth, the Hilltoppers tallied its first base hit of the day to lead off. However, a liner to Stevenson in right and then back-to-back ground outs to Nester in the circle again stranded another runner in scoring position.
The bottom of the fifth was a 1-2-3 inning for the Herd defense as Nester also recorded her ninth strikeout of the night.
In the sixth, Nester allowed two walks but quickly rebounded with the go-ahead run represented at the plate. The Hillsville, Virginia, struck out her 10th batter to finish the inning leaving two on base. It wasn't the last time that Nester came up big in a pressure situation.
After the Herd bats were retired in order in the top of the seventh, WKU started the bottom of the seventh with a single to left from Maddie Bowlds. Next, Nester issued her fourth walk of the game after a 10-pitch battle. Again, the go-ahead run was represented at the plate. The next batter grounded to sophomore Autumn Owen at third who made a great toss to fifth-year shortstop Armani Brown coming to cover third to retire the lead runner. The Hilltoppers still had two runners on base.
With one out, the next batter lifted a shot into shallow left field by the line. Brown took off from her shortstop position and made the catch on the run for the second out. Nester, the six-time Conference USA Pitcher of the Week, then retired the next batter on a called strike three on the seventh pitch of the at bat. Her 11th of the night finished the game and preserved the win for the Herd.
Marshall had five hits in the win. Freshman Alex Coleman had two hits using her speed to leg out two infield singles. She also had one stolen base. Harrell, along with being walked once, was hit by a pitch in her second plate appearance. It was the 51st of her career as she is now just two plunks away from tying the Herd all-time record of 53 held by Marcena Bertoldo (2007-10).
Owen and fifth-year senior Madison Whitaker had one hit each. Whitaker's single in the second increased her streak to 18-straight games reaching base safely.
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 (22-5)
L: Shelby NUNN (15-6)
Batting:
HR: Stevenson, Mya 1
RBI: Stevenson, Mya 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Stevenson, Mya 1
SB: Coleman, Alex 1
HBP: Harrell, Aly 1
Base Running:
SB: Brylee HAGE 1 ; Kasia PARKS 1
HBP: Jordan RIDGE 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
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0
H
2
RBI
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AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
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/ SoftballC/INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
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