Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
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#12 Arkansas
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Marshall Downed By Big Innings On Opening Day
2/8/2024 9:27:00 PM | Softball
Herd returns to action with doubleheader Friday
BOCA RATON, Fla. — The Marshall softball team opened its season with a pair of games against Arkansas and Florida Atlantic in sunny Boca Raton Thursday.
The Herd fell 10-3 to the Razorbacks ranked 12th in the Preseason ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll before dropping its second game to the hosts, 10-6.
Two home runs from Herd-newcomer Bella Gerlach highlighted the offensive output in Head Coach Zerkle's debut.
Savannah Rice and Bub Feringa split the majority of the innings in the circle to debut the 2024 season.
First Game: #12 Arkansas 10, Marshall 3
The Herd opened its 2024 season with the 12th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks from the SEC.
After falling behind by two after two innings, the Herd offense roared in the 3rd. Sydney Bickel cranked a home run to right-center to score Brooklyn Ulrich. Bickel's first of the season tied the power slapper's total from 2023.
MU took the lead on a Rielly Lucas RBI single through the right side to score Kasia Parks. It would be the first of two occasions Thursday where Lucas would drive in the Herd newcomer from Lexington, Ky.
Senior Savannah Rice held the 12th-ranked Razorbacks to six runs on eight hits with two strikeouts. Rice would turn the ball over to freshmen Emily Cole and Kaleea Washington who each made their collegiate debuts in the 6th inning against Arkansas.
Second Game: Florida Atlantic 10, Marshall 6
The Herd led by a 3-0 advantage after four frames. Gerlach's first Marshall home run in the 1st inning off the reigning C-USA Pitcher of the Year scored Lucas.
Gerlach - the Western Michigan transfer - had two home runs with three hits on opening day after a second three-run blast to left in the 7th.
Lucas would later drive in Parks in the 3rd with an RBI double to give MU the three-run advantage. Parks, the WKU transfer, had three hits Thursday.
Pitcher Bub Feringa held the potent Owls offense scoreless through four, but a seven-run 5th inning turned the tide in the game.
FAU would score three more in the 6th to win its opener, 10-6.
UP NEXT
Marshall returns with two more games Friday. The Herd will face Michigan State at 2 p.m. before squaring off with Penn State at 4:30.
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: Hannah Camenzind (1-0)
L: Rice, Savannah (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Bickel, Sydney 1
RBI: Bickel, Sydney 2 ; Lucas, Rielly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bickel, Sydney 1 ; Parks, Kasia 1 ; Ulrich, Brooklyn 1
Batting:
2B: Reagan Johnson 1 ; Bri Ellis 2 ; Spencer Prigge 1
RBI: Bri Ellis 2 ; Rylin Hedgecock 1 ; Cylie Halvorson 2 ; Raigan Kramer 1 ; Spencer Prigge 1 ; Hannah Camenzind 3
SF: Hannah Camenzind 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reagan Johnson 1 ; Nia Carter 1 ; Hannah Gammill 1 ; Rylee Cloud 1 ; Bri Ellis 2 ; Rylin Hedgecock 1 ; Cylie Halvorson 2 ; Kylie Brockman 1
SB: Nia Carter 1 ; Cylie Halvorson 1
HBP: Rylin Hedgecock 1
