Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
3-2
Iowa
3-2
Marshall Rallies Past Iowa to Close Winning Opening Weekend
2/8/2026 3:25:00 PM | Softball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Marshall Softball (3-2) stormed back with a four-run 5th inning and home runs from Diamond Leslie and Ava Blake to earn a 6-3 win over Iowa in Sunday's JoAnn Graf Classic finale. The win caps a winning opening weekend for Coach Morgan Zerkle's Herd.
"Really proud of this squad, I think they have a lot of faith in themselves this year," Coach Zerkle said. "Everyone coming together, our bench has had awesome energy, pinch-running when we need them to. Couldn't ask any more of them. That is a big P4 win for us, thought they played well all weekend."
The Herd erased a 3-1 deficit in the 5th as Diamond Leslie blasted a two-run home run to center following a Haleigh Adkins opposite field double to lead off the inning. Hits from Bella Gerlach and Tia Titi set up a Chandler Hoskins double to left center, driving in two runs to give Marshall its first lead of the day.
T5 | Marshall leads! RBI double by Chandler Hoskins scores Makayla Taylor and Summer Horn!
— Marshall Softball (@HerdSB) February 8, 2026
Marshall 5, Iowa 3 pic.twitter.com/f0m6KPQGqx
The Herd had five of its 11 hits in the 5th inning rally. Coach Zerkle's side tallied 10 or more hits in all three of its victories in the opening weekend.
Blake provided the Herd's first run with a solo home run an inning earlier, tying the score 1-1 at the time. Blake closed a weekend with five hits, three home runs and six RBI debuting from the plate.
"This weekend was absolutely unreal," said Blake. "I think we came together and proved who we are as a team. Today, ultimately, we just wanted to come in and be better and everyone rose to the occasion and did just that."
In the circle, Jules King earned her second win of the season with 2.1 innings of effective relief, collecting three strikeouts and allowing just one run. Maddie Veal closed the door with 1.1 scoreless innings to notch her second save of the year. Between King, Veal and starter Paige Maynard, the Herd stranded nine Hawkeyes.
The victory marks an early statement for Marshall, who finishes its opening weekend with wins over Iowa, UConn, and Samford.
Up Next
Marshall remains in Tallahassee to face Florida A&M Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. The Herd will travel to Jacksonville to face North Florida Wednesday before moving to Gainesville for the Florida Classic.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: King, Jules (2-0)
L: Brewer, Carly (0-1)
S: Veal, Maddie (2)
Batting:
2B: Gerlach, Bel 1 ; Hoskins, Chandler 1 ; Burko, Sydni 1 ; Titi, Tia 1 ; Adkins, Haleigh 1
HR: Blake, Ava 1 ; Leslie, Diamond 1
RBI: Hoskins, Chandler 2 ; Blake, Ava 1 ; Simpson, Paige 1 ; Leslie, Diamond 2
SF: Simpson, Paige 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blake, Ava 1 ; Burko, Sydni 1 ; Horn, Summer 1 ; Taylor, Makayla 1 ; Adkins, Haleigh 1 ; Leslie, Diamond 1
Batting:
2B: Bennett, Tory 1 ; Leitgen, McKenzie 1 ; Simon, Devin 1
RBI: Streff, Anna 1 ; Leitgen, McKenzie 1 ; Simon, Devin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bennett, Tory 1 ; Leitgen, McKenzie 1 ; Simon, Devin 1
