Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
20-18, 0
Georgia State
10-27, 0
Herd Softball’s Furious Rally Seals Road Sweep
4/7/2024 3:17:00 PM | Softball
Marshall scores six in the 7th to win
ATLANTA, Ga. — Sophomore Bella Gerlach's explosive weekend was capped with a three-run home run to right center to punctuate an emphatic comeback for Marshall's softball team.
The Herd thundered back with six runs in its final at-bat to win over the Georgia State Panthers, 9-8, sweeping the weekend series.
Gerlach, the Sun Belt Conference's home run-leader, sent a 2-2 pitch over the wall to turn an 8-6 deficit into the 9-8 lead. The Corydon, Indiana native went 8-for-12 for the weekend with four home runs and 11 RBI, with the most clutch hit being the last with the go-ahead homer.
MU (20-18, 6-6 SBC) had six-consecutive hitters reach base in the 7th on five hits, with RBI knocks coming from Kasia Parks to trim the deficit to 8-5, and Brooklyn Ulrich with a hit to right-center bringing Gerlach's go-ahead run to the plate.
Ulrich had a weekend to remember as well, driving in the Herd's first two runs in a three-run 3rd. She finished the weekend with nine runs driven in on 6-for-10 hitting for Coach Morgan Zerkle's team.
"It was awesome to see our offense explode this weekend," Zerkle said. "We know we are capable of hitting like that, it's just seeing it and seeing it consistently. It was great to see them with confidence in the box and hopefully they can use that for the rest of the weeks to come."
For full comments from Coach Zerkle, view HERE.
GSU (10-27, 1-11 SBC) scored seven runs (one earned) in the 2nd after being held scoreless over the first 12 frames of the series.
Junior Bub Feringa righted the ship from the 3rd inning on, pitching the final 5.1 innings, allowing just a pair of runs for her ninth victory in the circle.
UP NEXT
Following the sweep, Marshall will remain on the road to face JMU. The series opener from Harrisonburg is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Feringa, Bub (9-7)
L: Stephens, Makayla (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Ulrich, Brooklyn 1
HR: Gerlach, Bella 1
RBI: Parks, Kasia 2 ; Ulrich, Brooklyn 3 ; Gerlach, Bella 4
SF: Gerlach, Bella 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Parks, Kasia 2 ; Ulrich, Brooklyn 2 ; Gerlach, Bella 1 ; Michallas, Camryn 1 ; Bickel, Sydney 1 ; Washington, Destiny 2
Batting:
HR: Rayner, Jordan 1 ; Nadler, Chloe 1 ; Schroyer, Ashton 1
RBI: Goodwin, Jaycee 2 ; Rayner, Jordan 2 ; Nadler, Chloe 1 ; Schroyer, Ashton 1 ; Maia Mumpfield 1
SH: Schroyer, Ashton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Middlebrooks, Chloe 1 ; Goodwin, Jaycee 1 ; Rayner, Jordan 1 ; Nadler, Chloe 1 ; Montague, Maya 1 ; Schroyer, Ashton 1 ; Brister, Lauren 1 ; Maia Mumpfield 1
SB: Nadler, Chloe 1
CS: Middlebrooks, Chloe 1
