April 11, 2010
Herd Softball Falls to UCF 9-1 (5); 8-4 (8)
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Huntington, WV (HNN) – A nine run inning by Central Florida (24-17, 9-4 C-USA) in game one of the twin-bill led the Knights to a 9-1 mercy rule over the Marshall University softball team (18-21, 3-11 C-USA). The Herd fell 8-4 in extra innings in game two on Saturday afternoon, April 10 at Dot Hicks Field.
The scoreboard would remain unlit for an opening stretch in game one, as both teams held the other scoreless leading into the fourth inning. However, UCF would record nine runs in the fourth, one earned, to put the Thundering Herd in the deficit.
The Knights would bat around during the inning and with two outs down, Marshall would bring in Rachel Rillo in relief of Katie Murphree. Murphree would take the loss after working 3.2 innings in the circle, pushing her record to 11-11 on the year.
MU came back to tally a lone run in the bottom of the fifth as Caitlyn Jackson scored unearned in a Melanie Stoehr at-bat. The Herd was unable to make a comeback as Marshall would fall 9-1 after five complete innings.
Rillo closed the game for the Herd, pitching 1.1 innings and striking out three. Ashleigh Cole recorded the win for UCF, moving her to 15-10 overall.
In game two, the Golden Knights would score one run in the first frame after a single through the left side by Abby McClain plated Tiffany Lane.
The Herd would tie it up at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning as a single through the right side by Rebecca Gamby pushed Jackson across the plate.
Jazmine Valle would then propel the Herd to a 3-1 advantage in the third after she roped a two-run homer to center field to score Alianna Telles – both runs would go unearned.
“Once we had the early lead at 3-1 it came down to the little things,” said head coach Shonda Stanton. “All it takes is one person to step up and make a play either on the defensive side of things or coming up with a clutch hit to win it.”
UCF would battle back with three runs off two hits in the fifth to teeter-totter a 4-3 advantage for the Knights.
Marshall would then put on its rally cap in the bottom of the seventh as Telles smashed a long ball to left center to knot the game at 4-4 and take the contest into extra innings.
The Golden Knights responded in the top of the eighth with four runs on five hits and two Marshall errors.
“The little things continue to cost us because we don’t hang on to a lead that we have or finish when we have the opportunity to finish when the game is tied,” said Stanton. “We have to do a better job of taking what we want, as opposed to taking what we get.”
MU was unable to surmount runs in the bottom of the inning as Jackson would take the 8-4 loss after 8.0 innings pitched and nine strikeouts. Murphree faced two batters in the contest for the Herd.
Telles, Valle and Marcena Bertoldo all finished the game 2-for-4 at the dish, while Telles had two runs scored and Valle had one.
Kristina DeMello (5-5) went the distance for UCF to notch the win with nine strikeouts.
Marshall softball will finish out the series against the Golden Knights on Sunday at noon.
www.Herdzone.com
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
Herd Softball Falls to UCF 9-1 (5); 8-4 (8)
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Huntington, WV (HNN) – A nine run inning by Central Florida (24-17, 9-4 C-USA) in game one of the twin-bill led the Knights to a 9-1 mercy rule over the Marshall University softball team (18-21, 3-11 C-USA). The Herd fell 8-4 in extra innings in game two on Saturday afternoon, April 10 at Dot Hicks Field.
The scoreboard would remain unlit for an opening stretch in game one, as both teams held the other scoreless leading into the fourth inning. However, UCF would record nine runs in the fourth, one earned, to put the Thundering Herd in the deficit.
The Knights would bat around during the inning and with two outs down, Marshall would bring in Rachel Rillo in relief of Katie Murphree. Murphree would take the loss after working 3.2 innings in the circle, pushing her record to 11-11 on the year.
MU came back to tally a lone run in the bottom of the fifth as Caitlyn Jackson scored unearned in a Melanie Stoehr at-bat. The Herd was unable to make a comeback as Marshall would fall 9-1 after five complete innings.
Rillo closed the game for the Herd, pitching 1.1 innings and striking out three. Ashleigh Cole recorded the win for UCF, moving her to 15-10 overall.
In game two, the Golden Knights would score one run in the first frame after a single through the left side by Abby McClain plated Tiffany Lane.
The Herd would tie it up at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning as a single through the right side by Rebecca Gamby pushed Jackson across the plate.
Jazmine Valle would then propel the Herd to a 3-1 advantage in the third after she roped a two-run homer to center field to score Alianna Telles – both runs would go unearned.
“Once we had the early lead at 3-1 it came down to the little things,” said head coach Shonda Stanton. “All it takes is one person to step up and make a play either on the defensive side of things or coming up with a clutch hit to win it.”
UCF would battle back with three runs off two hits in the fifth to teeter-totter a 4-3 advantage for the Knights.
Marshall would then put on its rally cap in the bottom of the seventh as Telles smashed a long ball to left center to knot the game at 4-4 and take the contest into extra innings.
The Golden Knights responded in the top of the eighth with four runs on five hits and two Marshall errors.
“The little things continue to cost us because we don’t hang on to a lead that we have or finish when we have the opportunity to finish when the game is tied,” said Stanton. “We have to do a better job of taking what we want, as opposed to taking what we get.”
MU was unable to surmount runs in the bottom of the inning as Jackson would take the 8-4 loss after 8.0 innings pitched and nine strikeouts. Murphree faced two batters in the contest for the Herd.
Telles, Valle and Marcena Bertoldo all finished the game 2-for-4 at the dish, while Telles had two runs scored and Valle had one.
Kristina DeMello (5-5) went the distance for UCF to notch the win with nine strikeouts.
Marshall softball will finish out the series against the Golden Knights on Sunday at noon.
www.Herdzone.com
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
