Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
38-18
Howard
28-19
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Marshall | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 4 | 6 | 3 |
Marshall Softball Powers Past Howard, 4-2, in NCAA Tourney
5/16/2026 5:55:00 PM | Softball
Darnley’s HR lifts Herd to elimination final; Herd will face Duke in Durham Regional
DURHAM, N.C. – Marshall Softball earned its first win in the Durham Regional of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Smith Family Stadium.
With the win, Marshall advanced to the elimination final in Saturday's nightcap where they match up with host Duke, who fell to Arizona in the day's first game.
Marshall took its first lead in the contest in the bottom of the fourth when senior Abby Darnley lined a two-run home run just over the out-stretched glove of Howard's Maryn Jordan to put the Herd up 4-2.
Paige Maynard came in during the fifth inning and kept the Bison at bay over the final three frames to pick up the lengthy save for the Herd.
In the top of the fifth, Howard threatened to cut into the deficit with two runners on and no outs, but Maynard came into relieve starter Maddie Veal and induced a grounder back to the circle that turned into an inning-ending double play after batter-runner interference on a subsequent throw home by Bella Gerlach.
For the second straight day, Gerlach also finished with a pair of hits for the Herd offense.
Howard took a 2-0 lead after a pair of unearned runs, but Burko launched her 24th home run of the season to left field in the bottom of the third to tie the game up.
The 24 home runs tied Burko for the fourth-most in Sun Belt single-season history and gave her the 2026 lead in the Sun Belt as well.
Veal limited Howard's lineup throughout, scattering five hits while not allowing an earned run in her appearance.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Veal, Maddie (11-4)
L: Holt, Julia (3-3)
S: Maynard, Paige (1)
Batting:
2B: Ames-Alexand, Taylor 1
RBI: Castille, Cheyenne 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Castille, Cheyenne 1 ; Whipper, Aniyah 1
Batting:
HR: Darnley, Abby 1 ; Burko, Sydni 1
RBI: Darnley, Abby 2 ; Burko, Sydni 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Simpson, Paige 1 ; Darnley, Abby 1 ; Burko, Sydni 1 ; Adkins, Haleigh 1
SB: Blake, Ava 1
HBP: Blake, Ava 1
