Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
8-2
Northern Illinois
1-5
Herd Softball Dominant in Weekend-Opening Sweep
2/24/2023 5:03:00 PM | Softball
Marshall off to best start since 2015
LYNCHBURG, Va. — The Marshall softball team swept the opening day of the Liberty Classic in dominant fashion.
Autumn Owen's three-home run career day and a pair of one-hit shutouts from Sydney Nester and Savannah Rice highlighted the Herd's wins over Northern Illinois, 5-0, and Morgan State, 11-0.
Owen slugged four hits Friday, with three home runs, and seven RBI, while scoring five runs.
With the pair of wins, Coach Megan Smith Lyon's side is now 9-2, the program's best start since 2015.
First Game: Marshall 5, Northern Illinois 0
A second consecutive one-hit shutout from Nester and a pair of Owen home runs opened the weekend for Marshall.
Owen, the junior catcher, wasted no time making an impact at the plate. After a two-out Bub Feringa double in the 1st, Owen drilled a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left to give the Herd a 2-0 lead. The Mill Spring, N.C. native hit her second of the game in the 4th to nearly the same spot in left center to give the Herd a five-run lead.
Nester took the circle in the bottom half already with five wins this season and a sub-two ERA. The senior struck out seven over a complete seven innings of work.
The defense played error-free softball behind Nester, with Camryn Michallas securing a team-high four assists at third base. The Huntington native snagged a liner in the 3rd to keep the Huskies hitless.
The only hit for NIU came on an infield single in the 6th. Nester quickly erased the one-out hit with a pair of groundouts to end the frame.
A pair of strikeouts sealed the complete-game shutout for Nester, who now is 6-1 with a 1.09 ERA.
Second Game: Marshall 11, Morgan State 0, (5 Innings)
Nine runs in the first two innings secured the Friday sweep for Marshall.
Alex Coleman and Sydney Bickel reached base to start both innings, with both runners scoring courtesy of Feringa and Owen.
Owen's bases-clearing double scored the duo in the 1st, while Feringa's single through the right side scored the first two hitters in the 2nd.
On the ensuing batter in the 2nd, Owen completed the trifecta with her third shot of the day, this time to right-center.
The runs were more than enough for Rice. The junior transfer won her second start in as many outings, holding the Bears to one hit with five strikeouts.
UP NEXT
Marshall battles Princeton and the hosts, Liberty on Saturday. The Herd meets the Tigers for the first time since 2007 at 2:00 p.m. before facing the Flames at 6:00 p.m.
For all the latest information about Marshall softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Instagram.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nester, Sydney (6-1)
L: CASSELL, Lilly (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Feringa, Bub 1
HR: Owen, Autumn 2
RBI: Owen, Autumn 3 ; Lucas, Rielly 1
SH: Michallas, Camryn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Feringa, Bub 1 ; Owen, Autumn 3 ; Michallas, Camryn 1
SB: Bickel, Sydney 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1
Batting:
SH: RODRIGUEZ, Ally 1
Base Running:
SB: SHUMAKER, Caitlyn 1 ; JAMES, Courtney 1
