Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
45-10
#1 Seed (#24) Louisiana
46-13
Herd Softball Edged by Top-Seeded Louisiana in SBC Championship
5/13/2023 5:10:00 PM | Softball
Chelemen, Godfrey, and Nester earn All-Tournament accolades.
LAFAYETTE, La. — One swing was the lone difference between the Marshall Thundering Herd (45-10) and the now four-time Sun Belt Conference defending champions, Louisiana (46-12).
A solo home run in the 4th gave the Ragin' Cajuns the 1-0 victory in the Sun Belt Conference championship. The win propels UL to its 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, via the SBC's automatic bid.
The solo shot was one of just four hits the hosts claimed off Marshall pitcher Sydney Nester. Nester pitched her third game in three days, with a total of 319 pitches thrown in the tournament.
The redshirt-senior pitcher earned Sun Belt All-Tournament Team honors, alongside senior Grace Chelemen and freshman Bri Godfrey.
The captain and Most Outstanding Player of the All-Tournament team was Louisiana's pitcher Sam Landry, who held Marshall to a lone hit Saturday afternoon. The 1-0 defeat was just the second time the Herd was shut out in the 2023 season.
The 2023 season will have many lasting memories for Coach Megan Smith Lyon's Thundering Herd. The team set a number of milestones with most wins in program history (45), longest winning streak in program history (23 games), its first Top-25 win since 2008, among an array of accomplishments throughout the season.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Landry, Sam (17-4)
L: Nester, Sydney (27-8)
Batting:
HR: Allred, Lauren 1
RBI: Allred, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Allred, Lauren 1
SB: Heath, Karly 1 ; Kotzelnick, Stormy 1
