Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
20-3
Cleveland State
4-15
Sweeps Sends Herd To SBC Play With 21-3 Record
3/11/2023 7:38:00 PM | Softball
Marshall is on an 11-game winning streak following a pair of Saturday wins.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A dominant Saturday for the Marshall softball team gave Coach Megan Smith Lyon's Herd (21-3) a perfect lift into Sun Belt Conference play which begins next week in Boone, N.C.
The Herd defeated Cleveland State, 9-1 in five innings to start the afternoon at Dot Hicks Field. MU would take down Rider in the weekend finale, 7-0.
In the two games, Marshall pitchers combined to allow just three hits. Savannah Rice went a full five innings of one-hit softball. Sydney Nester struck out eight, bringing her total to 122, a number leading the nation as of Saturday afternoon. Neither pitcher issued a walk.
Marshall won the Thundering Herd March Madness Round Robin with a 4-0 record. The team is currently on an 11-game winning streak.
First Game: Marshall 9, Cleveland State 1
Junior pitcher Savannah Rice earned her fifth win of the year in 2023, allowing no baserunners until her final frame of work. Rice allowed just one hit with six strikeouts in a complete game effort.
The Marshall offense provided Rice with four runs in the bottom of the 1st, with Sydney Bickel, Bub Feringa, and Rielly Lucas driving in runs.
Lucas would knock her fourth homer of the season in the 4th inning to provide a seven-run cushion
With the Herd needing two to enforce the mercy rule in the 5th, Rice finished the game with an RBI knock to left to score Erica Holt and provide MU the 9-1 win.
Second Game: Marshall 7, Rider 0
Nester retired 20 consecutive batters in Marshall's 7-0 win over Rider to close the round robin. The redshirt-senior struck out eight while allowing just two hits.
The Herd's offense again struck early with Bickel bringing home Alex Coleman with an RBI triple in the 1st. Coleman reached base five times in the leadoff spot Saturday.
Autumn Owen doubled home Bickel in the 1st. The junior drove home four in the game. Owen's .507 average is the best in the conference.
UP NEXT
Marshall plays its first ever Sun Belt Conference game against the App State Mountaineers on Friday, March 17. First pitch in the series opener from Boone will be at 5:00 p.m. Friday.
For all the latest information about Marshall softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Instagram.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rice, Savannah (5-0)
L: Jenna Watts (1-1)
Base Running:
RUNS: Peyton Mueller-Stenz 1
Batting:
2B: Feringa, Bub 1 ; Lucas, Rielly 1
HR: Lucas, Rielly 1
RBI: Bickel, Sydney 1 ; Feringa, Bub 2 ; Lucas, Rielly 3 ; Michallas, Camryn 1 ; Rice, Savannah 1
SF: Michallas, Camryn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Coleman, Alex 1 ; Owen, Autumn 2 ; Chelemen, Grace 2 ; Feringa, Bub 2 ; Lucas, Rielly 1 ; Holt, Erica 1
SB: Coleman, Alex 2 ; Owen, Autumn 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 2 ; Feringa, Bub 1
CS: Bickel, Sydney 1
HBP: Owen, Autumn 1
