Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
19-9, 2-1
Georgia State
18-11, 1-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| Georgia St. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Herd Softball Breaks Through to Top Panthers, Win Series
3/15/2026 5:19:00 PM | Softball
ATLANTA, Ga. — Marshall Softball broke through against the Sun Belt's leading pitcher through the early part of 2026 with five runs over its final two at-bats, running away with a 7-1 road victory over Georgia State to win its first league series of the season.
The Herd is now 19-9 with a 2-1 conference record. The loss drops the improved Panthers team to 18-11 - six more wins than in all of 2025 - and the 1-2 league record.
"Georgia State's much improved pitching challenged us, but I am proud of the adjustments we made at the plate throughout the series," Head Coach Morgan Zerkle said. "Our pitchers did a phenomenal job limiting them all weekend."
Starter Jules King pitched a complete game in the win, with her one run allowed as a result of a rain-soaked error preceding a 22 minute rain delay. King struck out seven - her ninth appearance this season with five-plus strikeouts.
Marshall pitching has an incredible 0.85 ERA over its last 11 games.
Solo shots the opposite way for Ava Blake and Abby Darnley gave the Herd a 2-0 advantage before the rain came in the 5th. With Darnley's first homer of the season, nine Herd players have now hit a long ball in 2026.
Abby is our ninth player with a home run this season on this SHOT 🧨 https://t.co/bawzg5OVxn pic.twitter.com/HJByjYUkzx
— Marshall Softball (@HerdSB) March 15, 2026
King worked around the leadoff runner at second base and a three ball count after the delay to limit the Panthers to one in the 5th, setting up Marshall's late breakthrough.
Speed from a pinch-running Sydney Turner scored the Herd's third run in the 6th. Turner stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and raced home to beat the throw on a sacrifice fly. MU stole four bases on Sunday.
Haleigh Adkins led off the Marshall 7th with a leadoff triple before scoring on a wild pitch. RBI hits from Bella Gerlach and Sydni Burko's 10th home run effectively sealed the series-clinching victory.
BURKO BREAKS IT OPEN 🧨
— Marshall Softball (@HerdSB) March 15, 2026
Sydni's 10th the season and our third of the day makes it 7-1 Herd! pic.twitter.com/lq1YRO39Y9
UP NEXT
Marshall's originally scheduled doubleheader at Radford on Tuesday will be canceled with an impending bad forecast.
For all the latest information about Marshall Softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: King, Jules (8-5)
L: Makayla Stephens (13-5)
Batting:
2B: Hoskins, Chandler 1
3B: Adkins, Haleigh 1
HR: Burko, Sydni 1 ; Blake, Ava 1 ; Darnley, Abby 1
RBI: Gerlach, Bella 1 ; Burko, Sydni 2 ; Blake, Ava 1 ; Leslie, Diamond 1 ; Darnley, Abby 1
SF: Leslie, Diamond 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gerlach, Bella 1 ; Burko, Sydni 1 ; Turner, Sydney 1 ; Blake, Ava 1 ; Adkins, Haleigh 1 ; Taylor, Makayla 1 ; Darnley, Abby 1
SB: Turner, Sydney 1 ; Leslie, Diamond 1 ; Simpson, Paige 1 ; Taylor, Makayla 1
CS: Leslie, Diamond 1
Batting:
RBI: McKenzie Walker 1
SH: Zoey Defoor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ciarra Jefferson 1
CS: Caitlyn Hall 1
