Marshall University Athletics
Saturday, April 30
Huntington, W.Va.
2:00 PM
Marshall University
31-14, 13-7
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University of Texas at El Paso
15-30, 5-15
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Marshall
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MUSB's 2022 Senior Class with their families (left to right) Madison Whitaker, Katie Adams, Aly Harrell, Armani Brown and Saige Pye.
Photo by: Sydney Shelton
Softball Falls to Miners on Senior Day
4/30/2022 8:41:00 PM | Softball
Harrell hits 48th career home run
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – On a rainy day that was full of stop-and-starts throughout warmups, the Marshall softball team dropped game two of the weekend series to the UTEP Miners on Saturday at Dot Hicks Field, 4-3.
The Thundering Herd is now 31-14 overall and 13-7 in Conference USA. The Miners improve to 15-30 overall and 5-15 in league action. The rubber match is now scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ as well as broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Because of the rain early in the day, and the threat of thunderstorms on Sunday, the teams had initially tried to play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans as the start time was pushed back to 4:30 p.m. with Senior Day festivities just before, and playing only one contest.
Marshall honored its five, fifth-year seniors in Madison Whitaker, Saige Pye, Katie Adams, Armani Brown and Aly Harrell. Then a parent of each of the five players threw out the ceremonial first pitches.
UTEP scored three runs in the top of the first off three hits, a Marshall error and a sacrifice fly. Redshirt junior pitcher Sydney Nester recorded her first strikeout of the game to finally end the first after eight batters came to the plate.
The Miners threatened again in the top of the second with two runners in scoring position. Nester tallied another strikeout to end the frame and get out of the jam. The right-hander recorded two more strikeouts in the third and the fourth to bring her game total to seven.
The Herd got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Autumn Owen led off with a single to right. Three batters later, with two away, Owen stole second and then moved to third on a base hit from senior Grace Chelemen. Whitaker drove home Owen with a base hit up the middle. Marshall trailed 3-1.
After a 1-2-3 defensive inning in the top of the fifth, the Herd tied the game at 3-3 in bottom of the inning. Brown led off with a single on a perfectly placed bunt about six feet in front of home plate. Harrell came up next and tied the game with one swing on a two-run home run to left. It was her eighth of the season and 48th of her legendary career, good for third all-time.
Nester reached double-digit strikeouts with two more Ks in the sixth to help keep the game tied.
The Miners took the lead, 4-3, in the top of the seventh taking advantage of two Marshall errors. Nester tallied her 11th strikeout to end the inning.
The Herd gave itself a chance in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Pye drew a walk and redshirt freshman Amaya Lee came in to run at first. Two batters later, and now two outs, senior Mya Stevenson roped a base hit into left field that moved Lee into scoring position at second. Marshall could not get the timely hit as UTEP recorded the final out to get out of the jam and take the win to even the series.
Nester's 11 strikeouts brought her total to 270 to tie Marshall Hall of Famer Sara Gulla (1998-01) for the fourth-most in a season in team history. Saturday was Nester's 12th game of the year with 10 or more strikeouts, tying a team record set by Andi Williamson (2011-13) for the most in a season. Williamson had 12 double-digit strikeout performances during her record-breaking 2013 campaign.
Marshall had nine hits in the loss. Harrell had two, bringing her career total to 213 and moving into sole possession of eighth place in team history, surpassing Caitlyn Jackson who had 212 from 2007-10. Harrell has now reached base safely in 12-straight games and has also been on base in 42-of-45 contests this season. The Gahanna, Ohio, native is now tied with Stevenson for third all-time in team history with 163 career RBI after her two-run homer.
Owen and Chelemen also had two hits each. Whitaker tallied her 24th hit of the season, 119th of her collegiate career, and drove in her eighth run of the year. Brown's base hit in the fourth was the 111th hit of her career. Stevenson's single in the seventh was the 163rd hit of her career.
The loss was the first at home this season for Marshall and ends a 21-game home winning streak going back to last season. The last time that the Herd lost at Dot Hicks Field was April 17, 2021, 11-9 in game one of a doubleheader with the Florida Atlantic Owls. Marshall bounced back to take the next two of the series and then its first 19 home games in 2022. It is the second-longest home win streak in team history. The Herd won 22-straight from 2012 to 2013. Marshall is 19-1 at Dot Hicks Field this season.
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.
The Thundering Herd is now 31-14 overall and 13-7 in Conference USA. The Miners improve to 15-30 overall and 5-15 in league action. The rubber match is now scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ as well as broadcast on 88.1 WMUL-FM with audio streamed online at www.marshall.edu/wmul.
Because of the rain early in the day, and the threat of thunderstorms on Sunday, the teams had initially tried to play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans as the start time was pushed back to 4:30 p.m. with Senior Day festivities just before, and playing only one contest.
Marshall honored its five, fifth-year seniors in Madison Whitaker, Saige Pye, Katie Adams, Armani Brown and Aly Harrell. Then a parent of each of the five players threw out the ceremonial first pitches.
UTEP scored three runs in the top of the first off three hits, a Marshall error and a sacrifice fly. Redshirt junior pitcher Sydney Nester recorded her first strikeout of the game to finally end the first after eight batters came to the plate.
The Miners threatened again in the top of the second with two runners in scoring position. Nester tallied another strikeout to end the frame and get out of the jam. The right-hander recorded two more strikeouts in the third and the fourth to bring her game total to seven.
The Herd got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Autumn Owen led off with a single to right. Three batters later, with two away, Owen stole second and then moved to third on a base hit from senior Grace Chelemen. Whitaker drove home Owen with a base hit up the middle. Marshall trailed 3-1.
After a 1-2-3 defensive inning in the top of the fifth, the Herd tied the game at 3-3 in bottom of the inning. Brown led off with a single on a perfectly placed bunt about six feet in front of home plate. Harrell came up next and tied the game with one swing on a two-run home run to left. It was her eighth of the season and 48th of her legendary career, good for third all-time.
Nester reached double-digit strikeouts with two more Ks in the sixth to help keep the game tied.
The Miners took the lead, 4-3, in the top of the seventh taking advantage of two Marshall errors. Nester tallied her 11th strikeout to end the inning.
The Herd gave itself a chance in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Pye drew a walk and redshirt freshman Amaya Lee came in to run at first. Two batters later, and now two outs, senior Mya Stevenson roped a base hit into left field that moved Lee into scoring position at second. Marshall could not get the timely hit as UTEP recorded the final out to get out of the jam and take the win to even the series.
Nester's 11 strikeouts brought her total to 270 to tie Marshall Hall of Famer Sara Gulla (1998-01) for the fourth-most in a season in team history. Saturday was Nester's 12th game of the year with 10 or more strikeouts, tying a team record set by Andi Williamson (2011-13) for the most in a season. Williamson had 12 double-digit strikeout performances during her record-breaking 2013 campaign.
Marshall had nine hits in the loss. Harrell had two, bringing her career total to 213 and moving into sole possession of eighth place in team history, surpassing Caitlyn Jackson who had 212 from 2007-10. Harrell has now reached base safely in 12-straight games and has also been on base in 42-of-45 contests this season. The Gahanna, Ohio, native is now tied with Stevenson for third all-time in team history with 163 career RBI after her two-run homer.
Owen and Chelemen also had two hits each. Whitaker tallied her 24th hit of the season, 119th of her collegiate career, and drove in her eighth run of the year. Brown's base hit in the fourth was the 111th hit of her career. Stevenson's single in the seventh was the 163rd hit of her career.
The loss was the first at home this season for Marshall and ends a 21-game home winning streak going back to last season. The last time that the Herd lost at Dot Hicks Field was April 17, 2021, 11-9 in game one of a doubleheader with the Florida Atlantic Owls. Marshall bounced back to take the next two of the series and then its first 19 home games in 2022. It is the second-longest home win streak in team history. The Herd won 22-straight from 2012 to 2013. Marshall is 19-1 at Dot Hicks Field this season.
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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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: ALARCON, Aalijah (10-13)
L: Nester, Sydney (23-8)
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Batting:
RBI: SAMPLE, Anna 1 ; ALLEN, Ashlynn 2
SH: CATHEY, Pate 2
SF: SAMPLE, Anna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MORALES, Lexi 1 ; CATHEY, Pate 1 ; RICHARD, Ajia 2
SB: MORALES, Lexi 1 ; RICHARD, Ajia 1 ; FAVRE, Savannah 2
Batting:
HR: Harrell, Aly 1
RBI: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Whitaker, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Owen, Autumn 1 ; Brown, Armani 1
SB: Owen, Autumn 1
HBP: Whitaker, Madison 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
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INF
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/ SoftballINF
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P
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
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