April 1, 2008

Huntington, WV (UWIRE) -- The Marshall University women's softball team continued winless at the new Dot Hicks Field Saturday and Sunday as they battled Central Florida in a three-game series.

Marshall (12-23, 4-7 C-USA) ended up on the losing end of two close battles as they lost 2-1 in game and then dropped game two of the doubleheader on Saturday 5-3.

"I feel we have yet to come out and do the things we're supposed to do well," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "Offensively, we were attentive at the plate a little too late in both games. We've got to give Central Florida credit, game one their starter did a great job just getting in a groove and cruising. She struck us out 13 times and that's unacceptable, but what goes to show is what came down to the last was we were still in it."

Game one concluded at 2-1 on a battle of pitchers as Marshall junior Caitlyn Jackson threw a complete game, giving up two earned runs on nine hits. Her counterpart, UCF senior Allison Kime, also had a complete game and only allowed one run on two hits along with her 13 strikeouts against Herd batters.

Game two opened with a scoreless first and second inning by UCF and Marshall.

After holding UCF scoreless for a third time, the Herd came up to bat and drew first blood.

Senior second baseman Deanna Tourville led off the Herd half of the third with a strikeout, but then senior catcher Rachel Folden stepped up to the plate.

Folden, who had been held hitless in previous at bats at Dot Hicks Field, drove a deep solo rocket to straightaway centerfield and notched her 47th career homerun.

"Everybody likes to go deep every now and then," Folden said. "It's just, I wish we could have built on it. We just need to start taking pride in our field and come to play every day for all our great fans."

In the fifth inning, UCF broke the game wide-open as they batted through the lineup scoring five runs.

Sophomore pitcher Erin Destefano would exit without acquiring a single out, giving way for junior Autumn Mitchell to come in as part of a relief effort.

Mitchell walked in the fourth run with the bases loaded, and struck out the second batter she faced.

Mitchell then walked in the fifth run and finally settled down to strikeout the next two UCF hitters to end the inning. That inning would heavily contribute to her six strikeouts in three innings of work in game two.

"I was a little frustrated about the walks, I came in and didn't really do my job," Mitchell said. "I should've shut them down and wasted a few pitches here and there where I shouldn't have."

Senior designated player Samantha Rodriguez would tack on an RBI single in the Herd's offensive effort. However, the damage was done and UCF led 5-2 after five innings.

The Herd would keep it close after sophomore third baseman Marcena Bertoldo doubled down the third baseline, scoring freshman first baseman Melanie Stoehr all the way from third.

Junior outfielder Kristina Knecht and Tourville would both strikeout to end the inning at a score of 5-3 in favor of the Knights.

Both teams once again would hold each other scoreless in the seventh, which spelled defeat a second time that afternoon for the Herd as UCF (30-14, 9-3 C-USA) won 5-3.

Marshall would play its finale Sunday, but it wasn't as close as the two previous games of the series as UCF completed the sweep with a 7-1 score in game three.

As they search for the first home win at their new field, the Herd will play their next game at Dot Hicks Field against Venezuela April 8 at 3 p.m.

(C) 2008 The Parthenon via UWIRE