Softball Suffers First Defeat of Season

Friday, February 6

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

1:30 PM

Army West Point

1-1

Marshall

1-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Marshall	2	4	0	1	2	0	1	0	10	12	3
Army West Point	0	0	1	2	1	0	0	X	4	4	4

Softball Suffers First Defeat of Season

February 06, 2015 | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 6, 2015

Box Score

MT. PLEASANT, S.C.- - Four Marshall pitchers combined on a four-hitter and struck out eight batters in taking a 10-4 decision from Army at the Charleston Challenge Friday afternoon at Patriots Point Athletics Complex in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Suffering its first loss of the season after holding on for a 9-7 win over UNC Greensboro in the season opener in the morning, the Black Knights (1-1) capitalized on three Marshall errors in scoring three of their four runs with freshman designated player Xiomara Perez driving in a run and scoring herself.

The Thundering Herd jumped out to a 6-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning and plated four more in the second, keyed by Elicia D'Orazio's two-run single off starter Kristen West (0-1). The sophomore right hander went the distance and was touched for 10 runs, but only five were earned as Army committed four errors and Marshall had three miscues. Both teams stranded eight runners.

After being held hitless in the first two innings, the Black Knights collected two hits and a run off reliever Brittanie Fowler (1-0), who took over from Kristina Braxton in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, junior catcher Alyssa Strobehn smacked a single through the left side, was sacrificed to second and moved to third on Kasey McCravey's single up the middle. McCravey stole second and the next batter, freshman Hailey Megge, drew a walk off Fowler to load the bases.

Perez' bases-loaded RBI walk scored Strobehn for Army's first run of the game, but Fowler retired the next batter on a strikeout looking in leaving bases loaded as Army trailed 6-1.

Marshall answered with a run in the top of the fourth inning on Shaelyn Braxton's RBI double to stretch its lead to 7-1, but Army plated a pair of unearned runs in the home half to trail 7-3. After Alee Rashenskas drew a walk off Fowler to strt the frame, Marissa Bethke took over the circle.

Bethke walked the first batter she faced followed by a flyout and fielding error by the first baseman that allowed Rashenskas to score. After picking up the second out, Bethke uncorked a wild pitch that scored Gladys Esparza-Gallegos before getting out of the frame stranding a pair of runners.

Marshall, scoring in four of the first five innings, plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning to extend its lead to 9-3, but the Blacks Knights answered with a run in the home half.

Jordan Dixon, who took over in relief in the bottom of the fifth, issued a walk to Perez, the leadoff batter, then was touched for a hit and a walk to load the bases. With two outs following a pickoff and a strikeout looking, Rashenskas stole second and Perez raced home when the catcher overthrew the base for what would prove to be the Black Knights' final run of the game.

Army will look to bounce back Saturday when it takes on Bethune-Cookman at 1 p.m. and host Charleston at 8 p.m. in the second day of the tournament.