Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
37-18
#21 Arizona
36-16
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| Arizona | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | X | 7 | 8 | 0 |
Herd Drops NCAA Tourney Opener to Arizona in 7-5 Battle
5/15/2026 5:57:00 PM | Softball
DURHAM, N.C. — In its first NCAA Tournament contest in nine years, Marshall Softball (37-18) put on an offensive show, battling in a 7-5 defeat to the #21 ranked Arizona Wildcats.
The Herd hit four home runs - including two from the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Sydni Burko - extending its single-season team record to 93 homers hit this year.
With the loss, Marshall will face Howard at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Should the Herd defeat the Bison, MU would play a second game to follow, setting up a potential rematch against Arizona, or against the hosts Duke depending on the result of that game which begins the afternoon at 12 Saturday.
"I was proud of how the team competed today offensively," Head Coach Morgan Zerkle said. "We scored in multiple innings and had some big hits. We, as a staff, will take accountability for not walking their hitter who had six of their runs. That was a mistake we made with an open base. We should have put her on and trusted (Paige) to get the next batter out. Little things like that keeps us in that ballgame better and gives our offense a better chance to win."
After falling behind on a three-run homer in the opening inning, Bella Gerlach ignited the Herd and its large fan contingent in Durham with a solo shot to left field.
FIRE US UP BELLA!!!! 🔥
— Marshall Softball (@HerdSB) May 15, 2026
📺: ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/EGpIpztFXO
The NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic player's 15th of the season in the 2nd snapped the team's season-long scoreless streak. Between Burko (23), Blake (17), and Gerlach (15), it marks the first-ever season with three MU players hitting 15 or more in a season.
"We deserve to be here and deserving that at-large bid, it was an honor to see 'Marshall' show up on the screen," said Gerlach. "Being able to compete with a historic program like Arizona really solidified that we are supposed to be here."
Burko would leave the yard an inning later to draw the team within a run. A 4th-inning Bella Gerlach gapper ruled a double on the field, but overturned to a single, runner thrown out at second, after a lengthy review would be the closest the Herd would get to tying the game.
Senior Paige Maynard pitched six solid innings for the Herd, striking out five. A pair of two-strike, two-out home runs by Arizona's Grace Jenkins in the 1st and again in the 5th would doom the Herd.
A Chandler Hoskins two-run home run and Burko's second of the game would bring Marshall within a pair, but the team found itself unable to get the tying run to the plate in the final frame.
Can't count out the Herd just yet!
— Marshall Softball (@HerdSB) May 15, 2026
📺: ESPN+ https://t.co/o6v8g6YMMl pic.twitter.com/TAFNAxZJDl
Burko's 23 home runs this season puts her 5th all-time in the SBC record book for homers in a season.
SEE YA 👋 https://t.co/52VKhfhLzG pic.twitter.com/faqxvn0PBd
— Marshall Softball (@HerdSB) May 15, 2026
"I really think it was just proving that we belong," said Burko. "As a mid-major, we can compete with the best of them, and I think we showed that today. The result didn't go the way we'd like, but we held our own, competed and I think that's what we do with Marshall Softball – we compete. We'll chip away, we're scrappy and we play hard."
Marshall's five runs scored Friday are its most in a NCAA Tournament game in program history. For tickets to Saturday's contest(s), view HERE.
"For me, it meant the world," added Burko on the Marshall crowd. "It felt like playing at The Dot, which is great and a feeling like any other. Just seeing so many people show up to support Marshall Softball – I know we talk about the community we have in Huntington all the time – but just seeing them show up and make the 5-6 hour road trip, it just means the world and shows how much the community pours into us, so we hope to give that back to them."
For all the latest information about Marshall Softball, follow @HerdSB on Twitter and Instagram.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Adams, Jalen (21-9)
L: Maynard, Paige (9-7)
S: Berry, Jenae (2)
Batting:
HR: Gerlach, Bella 1 ; Hoskins, Chandler 1 ; Burko, Sydni 2
RBI: Gerlach, Bella 1 ; Hoskins, Chandler 2 ; Burko, Sydni 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gerlach, Bella 1 ; Taylor, Makayla 1 ; Hoskins, Chandler 1 ; Burko, Sydni 2
HBP: Hoskins, Chandler 1
Batting:
HR: Jenkins, Grace 2
RBI: Biehl, Tayler 1 ; Jenkins, Grace 6
Base Running:
RUNS: Shockey, Regan 1 ; Biehl, Tayler 2 ; Jenkins, Grace 2 ; Trice, Sereniti 2
