Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
10-8
UConn
3-12
Late Heroics Lift Herd Softball to Friday Sweep Over UConn
2/27/2026 4:44:00 PM | Softball
LYNCHBURG, Va. — The 7th inning was the winning inning for Marshall's softball team Friday in a doubleheader against UConn.
The Herd (11-8) walked off on Sydni Burko's RBI base on balls in the opener as the designated home team in the Liberty Invitational opener. Coach Morgan Zerkle's side then broke the deadlock on a Haleigh Adkins go-ahead home run - her second of the day - on the first pitch of the top of the final frame in the second contest.
With the pair of wins, Marshall sweeps the season series over the Big East's defending champions, after taking down the Huskies on opening day.
First Game: Marshall 5, UConn 4
The Burko walk capped Marshall's five unanswered runs. Senior Paige Simpson scored the winning run after leading off the 7th with her second of two bunt singles in the opener. An Abby Darnley walk and Bella Gerlach rip to left field loaded the bases with no outs.
It was Marshall's first walk-off walk since 2010.
The runs started in the 4th with four straight hits from Ava Blake, Diamond Leslie, and back-to-back home runs from Tia Titi and Adkins.
Marshall's pitching kept the Huskies from extending its lead, with a season-high 13 strikeouts from starter Jules King and Maddie Veal, who pitched the final two frames in relief. King worked around trouble with one of her eight strikeouts with a pair of runners in scoring position and one out in the 5th.
Second Game: Marshall 3, UConn 1
The solo shot from Adkins broke what had been a 1-1 pitchers' duel since the 3rd. Her third of the season was followed by key two out hitting from Bella Gerlach and Burko to drive in a key insurance run for starter Paige Maynard.
Maynard struck out a Marshall career-high nine UConn hitters.
Leslie drove in the Herd's first run of game two in the 3rd before the Huskies tied the game with their lone damage of the contest with a solo home run.
UP NEXT
Marshall faces the hosts Liberty at 10:30 a.m. Saturday before closing the weekend with Radford to follow.
For all the latest information about Marshall Softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Instagram.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Veal, Maddie (2-2)
L: A. Bacher (0-2)
Batting:
HR: K. Breslin 2
RBI: K. Breslin 3 ; H. Barber 1
SF: H. Barber 1
Base Running:
RUNS: C. Petteys 1 ; K. Breslin 2 ; K. Kibling 1
SB: C. Meo 1 ; K. Kibling 1
Batting:
2B: Blake, Ava 1
HR: Titi, Tia 1 ; Adkins, Haleigh 1
RBI: Burko, Sydni 1 ; Leslie, Diamond 1 ; Titi, Tia 2 ; Adkins, Haleigh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blake, Ava 1 ; Leslie, Diamond 1 ; Titi, Tia 1 ; Adkins, Haleigh 1 ; Simpson, Paige 1
