MU softball gets win #38

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall softball got a power surge when it needed it most on Sunday afternoon, blasting a pair of home runs in the sixth inning to earn an 8-4 win over James Madison.

With the win, Marshall moves to 38-7 overall and 13-3 in Sun Belt Conference play. The victory also gave the Herd its sixth straight series win to open SBC action.

The sixth inning proved to be the difference as Marshall’s bats exploded for six runs off of just four hits – two of which were home runs.

A pair of pinch-hitters started the scoring spree for the Herd. After Abby Darnley led off with a walk, Bub Feringa made the most of her plate appearance, depositing a two-run home run into the parking lot beyond the right field fence to give Marshall a 4-3 lead.

The Herd would not stop there, however, securing several more runs with two outs to provide plenty of insurance for starter Sydney Nester.

Grace Chelemen lined a single to right field to score Sydney Bickel that pushed the lead to two runs and, after Autumn Owen drew a hard-fought walk, Camryn Michallas continued her recent hot hitting, taking a 2-2 pitch deep over the left field wall to push the lead to 8-3.

That was more than enough for Nester, who shook off a seventh inning solo home run from James Madison’s K.K. Mathis to end the win for the Herd.

Nester went the distance for Marshall, allowing four runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out three batters.

Bickel finished 3-for-4 with two doubles – one off the top of the center-field fence in the six-run sixth – and three runs scored to lead Marshall. Owen and Chelemen each collected two hits also.

Marshall continues its current home stand at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday when No. 22 Virginia Tech comes to Dot Hicks Field.

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