Marshall University Athletics
Sunday, May 1
Huntington, W.Va.
12:00 PM
Marshall University
32-14, 14-7
13
vs
2
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University of Texas at El Paso
15-31, 5-16
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
UTEP
0
0
0
1
1
2
5
0
Marshall
6
6
1
0
0
13
12
0
Photo by: Ben Wheeler
Pitching, Defense and Slugging Lead the Way to Softball Series Win over Miners
5/1/2022 5:45:00 PM | Softball
Pye and Owen hit two home runs each
Box Score (PDF)
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall softball team had all three phases of the game firing on all cylinders on Sunday at Dot Hicks Field in a dominant 13-2 win in five innings over the UTEP Miners to take the series. The Herd bats tied the program single-game record with five home runs in the victory.
The Thundering Herd improves to 32-14 overall and 14-7 in league play. The Miners fall to 15-31 overall and 5-16 in Conference USA.
Head coach Megan Smith Lyon was honored before the game with two special softballs, one for her 100th win at Marshall and the other for her 500th career victory. Her 100th win with the Herd was on April 2 with an 11-10 walk-off win over Charlotte. Number 500 was on April 15 with a 3-2 win over FIU. Both milestone wins were at home. Her father, Herman Smith, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Sophomore pitcher Brianna McCown earned the complete-game win. She allowed five hits and struck out four. It was her third win of the season. She also picked up her 50th career strikeout in the second inning.
The Miners went through all four pitchers as Marshall's batters unloaded, and it started right from the beginning.
UTEP put the leadoff runner on board in the top of the first from a walk before McCown retired the next three. She tallied her first strikeout to end the inning and strand the runner at second.
In the bottom of the first, fifth-year senior Aly Harrell drew a one-out walk to reach base safely for the 13th-straight game. Senior Mya Stevenson won a long battle at the plate with a single to center. Fifth-year senior Saige Pye then sent a shot off the scoreboard, right below her name, for a three-run home run. It was Pye's 17th of the season and 32nd of her collegiate career. The Herd led 3-0. Sophomore Autumn Owen stepped up next, and on a 3-1 count, obliterated the next pitch to straight-away center and all the way back to the railroad track to make it back-to-back home runs. The solo shot was the sixth of the season and the 23rd of Owen's collegiate career. The Miners made its first pitching change.
After the swap in the circle, and a 13-minute rain delay, the offense kept it going. Sophomore Kay Kay Kenney drew a two-out walk and the fifth-year senior Katie Adams was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Fifth-year senior Armani Brown drove both Kenney and Adams home with a double down the left field line. It was Brown's second double of the season and Marshall led 6-0.
UTEP recorded its first hit in the second inning with two outs, but McCown recorded her third strikeout of the day to end the inning.
Harrell led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left. It was her ninth homer of the season and 49th of her career, as well as the third bomb of the game for Marshall. Following the blast to left, Stevenson drew a walk and then Pye doubled down the left field line moving Stevenson to third. Next, Owen smacked another long-ball out to right-center. The three-run jack put the Herd up 10-0, and brought out the third pitcher of the day for the Miners.
Kenney got things rolling again with a one-out single and then moved to third on a double from Adams. Brown drove in Kenney with a single to right field. Chelemen loaded the bases with a perfectly placed bunt for a base hit leading to Harrell. The Gahanna, Ohio, native did what she has done so many times in her career drawing a walk, this time driving in a run as Adams crossed the plate. The inning finally came to a close shortly after with the Herd up 12-0.
The defense made it a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third with some great glove work. McCown fielded a grounder and made the throw to first for the first out. Kenney snagged a line drive in left and then Adams grabbed a pop up behind home plate, right by the backstop net, to end the inning.
The fourth pitcher for UTEP went out the circle to start the bottom of the third. Pye, who led off, quickly sent a big blast out to left-center that hit halfway up one of the towering power poles. The solo shot was the fifth homer of the day to tie the program single-game record. It was also the last run of the day for Marshall.
The Miners scored its first run in the fourth with a solo home run from Anna Sample, her fifth of the year. UTEP had two more runners on base, however McCown came through with her fourth strikeout to end the inning. The Miners scored one more in the top of the fifth, and had a chance to add some more runs to try and avoid the run rule with two on base. Sample was back at the plate and drove a shot to deep center. Chelemen raced back and made the catch just before hitting the fence. She then bounced off and fired back to Brown at second to double up a runner. Marshall ended the game with the 8-3 double play as the fans erupted in cheers.
The Herd ended its 2022 home schedule with a 20-1 record (.952), the most wins at home in a single season, and the best winning percentage in team history. Marshall finished 15-1 at Dot Hicks Field in 2017. The only loss that season also came in game two of the final series of the year, that time against UAB. It is the third time that the Herd tallied a winning percentage of .900 or better at home, with 2017 (.938) and 1997 the other two (.900).
Sunday was the sixth time that a Marshall team has hit five home runs in a single game, and the fifth by a coach Smith Lyon team. The record was originally set on April 9, 2014, at Northern Kentucky. Since coach Smith Lyon took over, the record has been tied versus Presbyterian (Feb. 16, 2019), against Delaware State (Feb. 28, 2020), at No. 11 Kentucky (March 11, 2020) and then against Saint Joseph's in the 2022 season-opener.
Marshall piled up 12 hits, five walks and two hit-by-pitches. Every player in the lineup reached base at least once. Along with hitting five home runs, and pushing its season total to 63, the Herd added three doubles. Marshall has recorded 82 doubles this season, just one away from tying the single-season program record of 83 set in 2019.
Pye led the way with three hits, two homers and one double, and drove in four runs. It was the third time this season that Pye has belted two home runs in a game and the fourth time in her career. She is now the team leader with 18 bombs this season. Pye has 33 home runs in her collegiate career and 32 with the Herd. She is tied with Samantha Rodriguez (2005-08) for fifth all-time. Pye's single-season total is also tied for second-most in team history as Rachel Folden (2005-08) smacked 18 in 2006, which was the record until Stevenson belted 20 in 2019.
Owen's two home runs set a single-season best and tied her career-high. She hit two homers at Appalachian State on March 13, 2019, as a freshman while playing for Gardner-Webb. Owen has seven home runs this season and now 24 in her collegiate career. The Mill Spring, N.C., native drove in a season-high four runs.
Brown tied her career-high with three RBI, originally set on March 11 versus Fairfield during the Thundering Herd March Madness tournament. She had two hits.
Harrell reached base safely in all four plate appearances with the solo home run and picking up three more walks. She drew the 168th walk of her career in her final plate appearance. It was the 46th time, 11th this season, that Harrell was walked at least twice. She drove in two runs bringing her career total to 165, good for third all-time and just two RBI ahead of Stevenson.
Chelemen, Stevenson, Kenney and Adams had one hit each. Whitaker reached safely with a hit-by-pitch.
Six players crossed the plate with at least two runs. Pye scored three times to tie her career-high. Harrell, Stevenson, Owen, Kenney and Adams all had two runs each.
The Herd will finish out the regular season with a three-game series at North Texas, May 6-8. Marshall has secured a spot in the Conference USA Tournament, hosted by North Texas May 11-14. The seeds are still up for grabs.
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 had all three phases of the game firing on all cylinders on Sunday at Dot Hicks Field in a dominant 13-2 win in five innings over the UTEP Miners to take the series. The Herd bats tied the program single-game record with five home runs in the victory.
The Thundering Herd improves to 32-14 overall and 14-7 in league play. The Miners fall to 15-31 overall and 5-16 in Conference USA.
Head coach Megan Smith Lyon was honored before the game with two special softballs, one for her 100th win at Marshall and the other for her 500th career victory. Her 100th win with the Herd was on April 2 with an 11-10 walk-off win over Charlotte. Number 500 was on April 15 with a 3-2 win over FIU. Both milestone wins were at home. Her father, Herman Smith, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Sophomore pitcher Brianna McCown earned the complete-game win. She allowed five hits and struck out four. It was her third win of the season. She also picked up her 50th career strikeout in the second inning.
The Miners went through all four pitchers as Marshall's batters unloaded, and it started right from the beginning.
UTEP put the leadoff runner on board in the top of the first from a walk before McCown retired the next three. She tallied her first strikeout to end the inning and strand the runner at second.
In the bottom of the first, fifth-year senior Aly Harrell drew a one-out walk to reach base safely for the 13th-straight game. Senior Mya Stevenson won a long battle at the plate with a single to center. Fifth-year senior Saige Pye then sent a shot off the scoreboard, right below her name, for a three-run home run. It was Pye's 17th of the season and 32nd of her collegiate career. The Herd led 3-0. Sophomore Autumn Owen stepped up next, and on a 3-1 count, obliterated the next pitch to straight-away center and all the way back to the railroad track to make it back-to-back home runs. The solo shot was the sixth of the season and the 23rd of Owen's collegiate career. The Miners made its first pitching change.
After the swap in the circle, and a 13-minute rain delay, the offense kept it going. Sophomore Kay Kay Kenney drew a two-out walk and the fifth-year senior Katie Adams was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Fifth-year senior Armani Brown drove both Kenney and Adams home with a double down the left field line. It was Brown's second double of the season and Marshall led 6-0.
UTEP recorded its first hit in the second inning with two outs, but McCown recorded her third strikeout of the day to end the inning.
Harrell led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left. It was her ninth homer of the season and 49th of her career, as well as the third bomb of the game for Marshall. Following the blast to left, Stevenson drew a walk and then Pye doubled down the left field line moving Stevenson to third. Next, Owen smacked another long-ball out to right-center. The three-run jack put the Herd up 10-0, and brought out the third pitcher of the day for the Miners.
Kenney got things rolling again with a one-out single and then moved to third on a double from Adams. Brown drove in Kenney with a single to right field. Chelemen loaded the bases with a perfectly placed bunt for a base hit leading to Harrell. The Gahanna, Ohio, native did what she has done so many times in her career drawing a walk, this time driving in a run as Adams crossed the plate. The inning finally came to a close shortly after with the Herd up 12-0.
The defense made it a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third with some great glove work. McCown fielded a grounder and made the throw to first for the first out. Kenney snagged a line drive in left and then Adams grabbed a pop up behind home plate, right by the backstop net, to end the inning.
The fourth pitcher for UTEP went out the circle to start the bottom of the third. Pye, who led off, quickly sent a big blast out to left-center that hit halfway up one of the towering power poles. The solo shot was the fifth homer of the day to tie the program single-game record. It was also the last run of the day for Marshall.
The Miners scored its first run in the fourth with a solo home run from Anna Sample, her fifth of the year. UTEP had two more runners on base, however McCown came through with her fourth strikeout to end the inning. The Miners scored one more in the top of the fifth, and had a chance to add some more runs to try and avoid the run rule with two on base. Sample was back at the plate and drove a shot to deep center. Chelemen raced back and made the catch just before hitting the fence. She then bounced off and fired back to Brown at second to double up a runner. Marshall ended the game with the 8-3 double play as the fans erupted in cheers.
The Herd ended its 2022 home schedule with a 20-1 record (.952), the most wins at home in a single season, and the best winning percentage in team history. Marshall finished 15-1 at Dot Hicks Field in 2017. The only loss that season also came in game two of the final series of the year, that time against UAB. It is the third time that the Herd tallied a winning percentage of .900 or better at home, with 2017 (.938) and 1997 the other two (.900).
Sunday was the sixth time that a Marshall team has hit five home runs in a single game, and the fifth by a coach Smith Lyon team. The record was originally set on April 9, 2014, at Northern Kentucky. Since coach Smith Lyon took over, the record has been tied versus Presbyterian (Feb. 16, 2019), against Delaware State (Feb. 28, 2020), at No. 11 Kentucky (March 11, 2020) and then against Saint Joseph's in the 2022 season-opener.
Marshall piled up 12 hits, five walks and two hit-by-pitches. Every player in the lineup reached base at least once. Along with hitting five home runs, and pushing its season total to 63, the Herd added three doubles. Marshall has recorded 82 doubles this season, just one away from tying the single-season program record of 83 set in 2019.
Pye led the way with three hits, two homers and one double, and drove in four runs. It was the third time this season that Pye has belted two home runs in a game and the fourth time in her career. She is now the team leader with 18 bombs this season. Pye has 33 home runs in her collegiate career and 32 with the Herd. She is tied with Samantha Rodriguez (2005-08) for fifth all-time. Pye's single-season total is also tied for second-most in team history as Rachel Folden (2005-08) smacked 18 in 2006, which was the record until Stevenson belted 20 in 2019.
Owen's two home runs set a single-season best and tied her career-high. She hit two homers at Appalachian State on March 13, 2019, as a freshman while playing for Gardner-Webb. Owen has seven home runs this season and now 24 in her collegiate career. The Mill Spring, N.C., native drove in a season-high four runs.
Brown tied her career-high with three RBI, originally set on March 11 versus Fairfield during the Thundering Herd March Madness tournament. She had two hits.
Harrell reached base safely in all four plate appearances with the solo home run and picking up three more walks. She drew the 168th walk of her career in her final plate appearance. It was the 46th time, 11th this season, that Harrell was walked at least twice. She drove in two runs bringing her career total to 165, good for third all-time and just two RBI ahead of Stevenson.
Chelemen, Stevenson, Kenney and Adams had one hit each. Whitaker reached safely with a hit-by-pitch.
Six players crossed the plate with at least two runs. Pye scored three times to tie her career-high. Harrell, Stevenson, Owen, Kenney and Adams all had two runs each.
The Herd will finish out the regular season with a three-game series at North Texas, May 6-8. Marshall has secured a spot in the Conference USA Tournament, hosted by North Texas May 11-14. The seeds are still up for grabs.
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 (3-3)
L: KELLY, Isabella (0-3)
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Batting:
HR: SAMPLE, Anna 1
RBI: RICHARD, Ajia 1 ; SAMPLE, Anna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SAMPLE, Anna 1 ; FAVRE, Savannah 1
SB: MORALES, Lexi 1
Batting:
2B: Pye, Saige 1 ; Adams, Katie 1 ; Brown, Armani 1
HR: Harrell, Aly 1 ; Pye, Saige 2 ; Owen, Autumn 2
RBI: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Pye, Saige 4 ; Owen, Autumn 4 ; Brown, Armani 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrell, Aly 2 ; Stevenson, Mya 2 ; Pye, Saige 3 ; Owen, Autumn 2 ; Kenney, Kay Kay 2 ; Adams, Katie 2
HBP: Whitaker, Madison 1 ; Adams, Katie 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballMarshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
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Marshall Softball: HC Morgan Zerkle, Haleigh Adkins, Paige Maynard (Post-Coastal)
Friday, April 18
Hype and Harmony: the Team Personality Fuels Success #softball
Thursday, April 17