Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
15-3
Kent State
5-13
Herd Softball Rallies to Top Pitt, Sweep Weekend
3/5/2023 6:50:00 PM | Softball
Marshall adds on to historic start; sweeps Thundering Herd Round Robin
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — For the first time since March 8, 2020, the Marshall softball team defeated a power five opponent in the form of the Pitt Panthers Sunday at Dot Hicks Field.
Firsts are nothing new for Coach Megan Smith Lyon's Herd, as the team's 16-3 start is the first time in program history the team has won as many games in 19 played.
The same can be said for Autumn Owen, who served as the walkoff hero in Marshall's 4-3 win over Pitt. As of Sunday, Owen is tied for first in the country with 10 home runs.
Sunday's winning pitcher Sydney Nester finished Sunday tied for first in the nation with 103 strikeouts. The senior surpassed the 100 strikeout mark in just her 12th appearance of the season.
"I just think the grit and the fight our team has, showed today," Smith Lyon said. "The resilience factor too showed, we came out in the 7th and made some mistakes but we bounced back. Just the fight, the heart, the grit we have really showed."
Second Game: Marshall 4, Pitt 3
Box Score (PDF)
The Herd were held hitless through the first four innings and scoreless through five against Pitt's ace. But the resilience showed in the 6th, with Sydney Bickel leading off the frame with a triple. A wild pitch scored the junior from Peoria, Ariz.
After an Owen walk, Grace Chelemen doubled home the tying run, before Rielly Lucas's opposite field hit gave Marshall its first lead.
The ACC's Panthers tied it in the 7th, before Nester retired the side with the go-ahead run standing on third base. Nester struck out seven in her 10th win of the season.
Bickel again kickstarted the rally in the bottom half with a two-out infield single, with the nation's leader in home runs powering a ball off the center field wall to give Marshall the dramatic victory.
First Game: Marshall 10, Kent State 2 (5 Innings)
Box Score (PDF)
The Herd powered past the Golden Flashes in Sunday's opener
Bub Feringa earned her first win of the year in relief while driving in five at the plate.
The sophomore entered in relief in the 2nd and retired consecutive KSU hitters on full counts with the bases loaded. Feringa held Kent State hitless after entering the game in the circle.
Feringa then drove in the go-ahead run in the 3rd to score Alex Coleman.
Coleman had a season-high four hits in Sunday's first game. Her four runs scored, two runs driven in, and three stolen bases were all season-bests as well.
Feringa fittingly drove in Coleman for the winning run in the bottom of the 5th to enforce the run-rule.
UP NEXT
Before the Herd hosts its second round robin invitational next week, Marshall hosts the Ohio Bobcats in a midweek contest on Wednesday, March 8. First pitch from The Dot against OU will be at 2:30 p.m.
For all the latest information about Marshall softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nester, Sydney (10-2)
L: Drogemuller (4-3)
Batting:
2B: Whaley 1 ; Brunson 1
RBI: Whaley 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ramirez 1 ; Griggs 1 ; Lane 1
SB: Whaley 1 ; Drapola 1
CS: Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Michallas, Camryn 1 ; Lucas, Rielly 1
3B: Bickel, Sydney 1
RBI: Owen, Autumn 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1 ; Lucas, Rielly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bickel, Sydney 2 ; Owen, Autumn 1 ; Chelemen, Grace 1
