Marshall Softball Sweeps Day One At Charlotte

Box score - Game 1 vs. Jacksonville | Box score - Game 2 vs. Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marshall Softball used a 7-run fifth inning, capped by an Ava Blake three-run home run, to earn an 8-6 win over Charlotte that gave the Thundering Herd a Day One sweep at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium in Charlotte.

"They made adjustments and got the job done - put up a seven-spot in the middle (of Game 2) and it's huge to know our offense can do that and anyone can contribute," Marshall head coach Morgan Zerkle said. "We got the job done and it was a really fun day and a great win against a great team."

Blake's home run – her second of the day – helped the Herd snap an eight-game win streak for Charlotte, who is receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball National Poll after a win over Clemson earlier this week.

The win came after Jules King started the day on a winning note with a career-high 12 strikeouts in a 3-0 win over Jacksonville in which Blake and Sydni Burko's home runs provided the run support.

Marshall (7-7) returns to play tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. against Boston before returning in the evening for its second contest with Charlotte.

Here's a look at the recaps for both contests:

Game 2
Marshall 8, Charlotte 6

Marshall used a seven-run fifth inning – six runs coming with two outs – to erase a deficit and get the win over the 49ers.

The Herd's power showcased itself in the inning with four extra-base hits in the frame. Bella Gerlach's two-run double cut the deficit to one before Chandler Hoskins tied the game at 5 to score Gerlach and chase Charlotte's starting pitcher.

With runners on second and third and a new pitcher in the circle, Blake belted a no-doubter to left-center field to send the Herd dugout into celebration mode.

From there, the Herd pitching kept the 49ers' powerful offense at bay as Maddie Veal induced a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the sixth inning before Jules King capped a stellar day with a one-inning save to give the Herd the win.

Game 1
Marshall 3, Jacksonville 0

Jules King was in command from the start, striking out a career-high 12 batters while allowing just three hits and no walks in a complete-game shutout of the Dolphins.

King struck out the side in the second inning and registered two strikeouts in another three frames to keep the Jacksonville offense at bay.

The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but Sydni Burko changed that quickly when she sent the second pitch of the frame over the left-field wall to give the Herd the lead.

It was Burko's seventh home run of the season, which is top-10 nationally.

Three batters later, Ava Blake provided additional cushion when her two-run blast scored her and Sydney Turner, who came on to run for Chandler Hoskins after Hoskins drew a walk.

Hoskins reached in all three plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with a double and a walk for the Herd.

Four of Marshall's five hits in the contest were for extra bases.

For all the latest information about Marshall Softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Instagram.

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---HerdZone.com---

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Team Stats

Bella Gerlach

Ava Blake

Sydni Burko

Chandler Hoskins

Players Mentioned

Ava Blake

Sydni Burko

Bella Gerlach

Chandler Hoskins

Jules King

Sydney Turner

Maddie Veal

Marshall University Athletics