Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
2-5
Winthrop
6-2
Marshall Baseball Drops Contest At Winthrop On Monday
2/23/2026 6:06:00 PM | Baseball
Ethan Murdoch’s three-run blast, Bottone’s 3-for-4 day are highlights for Herd
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Marshall Baseball took a lead into the eighth inning of Monday's contest at Winthrop, but was unable to maintain it in falling to the Eagles 11-7 at Founders Field.
"We've got a broken record going right now where we come out and put ourselves in positions to have success – we have a lead and we just can't put games away," Marshall head coach Greg Beals said. "We started out winning and then, we got afraid of losing. Teams can't play with a fear of losing. We've got to find a way to make the play when it matters, make the pitch when it matters, get the hit when it matters."
Mason Onate gave Marshall a 7-6 lead in the top of the eighth inning when he walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, went to third on a balk and scored on a wild pitch.Â
However, in the bottom of the frame, three hit batsmen preceded an error that could've gotten the Herd out of the inning and Winthrop followed with a bases-clearing double that gave the Eagles some cushion.
"Early in the game, we came out with great energy and then it's like the game got on us a little bit and we didn't respond very well," Beals said. "We've got to reduce the number of free passes. Our number of hit batsmen, walks and errors is entirely too high. We pride ourselves on our pitching and defense, and it just hasn't been the case this weekend."
The teams engaged in a back-and-forth affair throughout that saw several lead changes and momentum changes in the contest.
Prior to Onate giving the Herd the lead, the Herd knotted the game at 6-all after Evan Bottone's infield single brought in Ethan Murdoch to tie the game after Winthrop scored five runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead.Â
Before the Eagles took the lead, Murdoch had provided the game's biggest blast in the third inning when his three-run home run to left-center field capped Marshall's four-run frame that established an early lead.
Prior to Murdoch's home run, Bottone had provided an offensive spark early as well, scoring the game's first two runs, courtesy of Jackson Halter bringing him home each time.Â
Bottone's triple kicked off the four-run third and Halter's single plated him, adding to an early advantage that came in the first when Halter's fielder's choice scored Bottone with the game's first run.
Bottone was 3-for-4 in the loss for the Herd.Â
Marshall returns to action with its 2026 home opener at 3 p.m. on Friday when the Herd hosts Butler at Jack Cook Field. For 2026 Marshall Baseball tickets, click HERE.
"That's exactly what we need," Beals said. "We need the friendly confines of our own ballpark, our locker room and our batting cages – everything that Jack Cook and Alex Lawrence bring to us. We need that right now and hopefully that's the shot in the arm that gets us going in the right direction."
For all the latest information about Marshall Athletics, follow @HerdZone on X and Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Byrd, Garrett (1-0)
L: Doll, Landen (0-1)
Batting:
3B: Bottone, Evan 1
HR: Murdoch, Ethan 1
RBI: Bottone, Evan 1 ; Murdoch, Ethan 3 ; Halter, Jackson 2
SH: Simpson, Cleary 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Onate, Mason 1 ; Havrilla, AJ 1 ; Bottone, Evan 2 ; Murdoch, Ethan 2 ; Halter, Jackson 1
SB: Halter, Jackson 1
CS: Onate, Mason 1
HBP: Golden, Jackson 2
Batting:
2B: Crowley, Colin 1 ; Natividad, Gabe 1 ; Benhardt, Alan 1 ; Hernandez, Jaylen 1
RBI: Crowley, Colin 1 ; Natividad, Gabe 3 ; Handzel, Gage 1 ; Hernandez, Jaylen 1 ; Norton, Cade 2 ; Cox, Noah 2
SH: Greenberg, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Crowley, Colin 1 ; Natividad, Gabe 2 ; Benhardt, Alan 1 ; Skowronski, Josh 1 ; Hernandez, Jaylen 2 ; Alfonso Rivera, Diego 1 ; Norton, Cade 1 ; McGuire, Grant 1 ; Cox, Noah 1
SB: Crowley, Colin 1 ; Norton, Cade 1
HBP: Crowley, Colin 1 ; Natividad, Gabe 2 ; Handzel, Gage 1 ; Hernandez, Jaylen 1 ; Norton, Cade 1
