East Carolina University
Marshall
Softball Falls Twice To Marshall
April 06, 2008 | Softball
April 6, 2008
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina softball team faltered at home on Sunday, dropping a doubleheader to Marshall 6-3 and 5-3 at the ECU Softball Field. The Pirates fall to 25-18 overall and 5-6 in C-USA play while the Herd improve to 16-24 on the season and 6-7 in conference action.
The first contest stayed scoreless though four innings, as the teams combined for a total of four hits. ECU put up the first offensive threat in the bottom of the fifth as Charina Sumner led off the half-inning with her third triple of the season. Vanessa Moreno was then hit by a pitch and stole second. However, Marshall used a flyout and two groundouts to get out of the inning. The Herd took a 6-0 lead over the span of the sixth and seventh innings, aided by six hits and a Pirate error.
East Carolina mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, Beth Nolan drew a walk for the Pirates' first run. Then, Angel Barrella singled to center, bringing home Paige Baggett to make the score 6-2. ECU would plate one more run on a fielder's choice play but that was all it could manage before the final two outs.
Junior Brooke Swann took the loss in her 33rd appearance of the season to move her record to 14-13. She gave up six runs, five of them earned, on nine hits while striking out eight. The eight strikeouts are her second most this season. Kaui Tom and Barrella enjoyed solid efforts at the plate, as they combined to go 5-for-8 with two RBI.
Marshall jumped on top 3-0 in the second game in the top of the first. With the bases loaded via a single, walk and error, Rachel Sofie singled through the right side, scoring Rachel Folden. Then, with one out, Kelly Nielson doubled to score the Herd's other two runs.
The Pirates would tie the game with one run in the bottom of the first and two in the bottom of the third. Jessica Johnson accounted for two RBI singles while Marshall was credited with an error on a failed pickoff attempt, allowing Sumner to score from third.
The Herd received the winning runs in the top of the fifth, when Nielson took a pitch deep to center field and over the wall for a two-run shot that provided the final margin.
Freshman Suzanne Riggs suffered her first loss of the season as her record fell to 2-1. She gave up five runs on six hits while striking out two. Jessica Johnson provided the offensive spark in game two, hitting 2-for-4 with two RBI. The junior also recorded 10 putouts at first base.
East Carolina remains at home this week, welcoming UNC Wilmington to the ECU Softball Field for a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday. Game one is scheduled for 4 p.m. while the second contest will take place 20 minutes after the first.
