Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
25-27
#7 Seed Georgia Southern
30-21
Herd Wins 11-Inning Thriller to Advance in SBC Tournament
5/9/2024 1:06:00 AM | Softball
Marshall faces Texas State in Quarterfinals Thursday night
SAN MARCOS, Texas — Marshall junior Kasia Parks hit a go-ahead triple and scored on the errant throw to break a 2-2 deadlock in the Herd's 11th inning 1st Round win against the 7-seed Georgia Southern.
The gap-shot to right-center scored junior Rielly Lucas, and with the speed of Parks forcing the throw to get past the Eagles infield, bringing the transfer all the way home.
Lucas also scored the tying run on a night which the Huntington native went 2-for-2 and reached base safely five times, a new career-high.
The 10th-seeded Herd won the three-and-a-half hour marathon game, 4-2. The victory progresses Coach Morgan Zerkle's team to Thursday night's quarterfinals against the hosts and 2-seed Texas State.
"It was good to see the team stay in it and not give up, and eventually we got the job done," Coach Zerkle said. "I think we just relaxed and trusted our hitting. We prepared against every [GS] pitcher so while they kept changing, we knew what to expect and everyone came through for us tonight."
The Herd offense battled back from a 2-0 deficit after four, with a run in the 5th and the tying run an inning later. Freshman Destiny Washington and senior Reagan Glanz singled in MU's runs.
From there, pitcher Savannah Rice was masterful across the final nine innings of the contest, her longest appearance as a member of the Herd.
Rice allowed just three hits, holding the Eagles scoreless after the 4th inning. The senior held off five consecutive walk-off opportunities for the 7-seed. Rice worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the 8th, with the winning run just 60 feet away from scoring. The 8th inning was the only frame in which GS had a runner in scoring position after the 4th.
A stellar catch in foul territory by Glanz, with a flyout to Parks sealed Marshall's win in 11 to end the game.
UP NEXT
Marshall and Texas State play the final quarterfinal Thursday evening from San Marcos.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rice, Savannah (9-11)
L: Morgan Kendrick (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Lucas, Rielly 1
3B: Parks, Kasia 1
RBI: Glanz, Reagan 1 ; Parks, Kasia 1 ; Washington, Destiny 1
SH: Glanz, Reagan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lucas, Rielly 3 ; Parks, Kasia 1
HBP: Feringa, Bub 1
Batting:
RBI: Kyla Maxwell 1
SH: Katie Perkins 1 ; Jess Mazur 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Delanie Thames 1 ; Brooke Kell 1
