The Marshall softball team split a doubleheader with Miami of Ohio Tuesday in a pair of games that were rain drenched and waterlogged.
Marshall dropped game one to the RedHawks 8-6, but head coach Shonda Stanton said it had nothing to do with the weather.
"Winners adjust," Stanton said. "If anything (Miami) should have been sluggish. They left this morning early, got stuck in a traffic jam and sat on the bus for two hours."
Despite dropping game one, the Herd came out strong in game two, putting 10 quick runs and ended the game early by way of the mercy rule 10-1.
"I'm pleased with how we responded in game two," Stanton said. "The doubleheaders, for us, are really about taking care of ourselves. When we take care of ourselves we're a pretty darn good ball club. We have speed that can lay down the bunt and a number of kids that can go yard. Defensively we can make great plays and when pitching is on, we're a team that's tough to beat."
The RedHawks put together a three-hit seven-run inning in game one that included two errors, two hit batters and a home run off the bat of Miami catcher Jenna McGivney in the second inning.
The Herd responded in the bottom of the second as catcher Rebecca Gamby doubled to left field and later advanced to third on a single by second baseman Macena Bertoldo. Third baseman Kelly Nielson then doubled to right center field bringing in both runners.
Herd pitcher Autumn Mitchell was called in relief of Katie Murphree to get the final out in a tough first inning.
Marshall strung together four runs on two hits by designated player Caitlyn Jackson and first baseman Melanie Stoehr, but the Herd came up short by a final score of 8-6.
"When you get down 7-0 it takes the strategy out for us as a coaching staff and really you just have to let them swing the bat," Stanton said. "It just ended up being a little too late."
After failing to mount the successful comeback in game one, Marshall jumped out to an early lead in game two.
The Herd got on the board in the first inning in dominating fashion as shortstop Alianna Telles led off the game for the Herd with a deep home run that may have cleared the train tracks beyond the left field wall. Later in the inning, left fielder Rachel Sofie blasted a three-run home run that plated center fielder J.J. Bitner and Stoehr.
Telles said she was just doing her job.
"It's the job of a leadoff hitter to get things started. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to in the first game," she said. "It's about just being more selective with pitches and getting the ones that I want and taking advantage of them leaving it over the plate."
Marshall continued to bring in runs as Nielson drew a walk and was later brought in by a bunt single by right fielder Melissa Loesing and a double to center field by Bitner.
The Herd added three more runs in the bottom of the third inning by way of a three-run home run by Stoehr.
Mitchell went five innings in which she allowed only one run on three hits, while striking out six. The Herd took the win by way of the mercy rule with the score of 10-1.
"I didn't have the best weekend at Central Florida and I wanted to come in and be smarter with my pitches location-wise and get the hitters back off balance," Mitchell said.
Stanton said while making mistakes and giving up unearned runs makes it difficult on the team, she feels they have good momentum going into the upcoming road trip.
"We talked a little bit about really taking advantage of what we are given and making that leap and that jump from what we are to who we know we can be," she said. "We know we have a lot of potential, and it's not about talking about potential, it's about achieving and getting it done."
After the split, Marshall takes to the road for a three-game series against UAB Saturday and Sunday.
The Herd is now 23-13 overall and 8-4 in Conference USA.
Jonas Swecker can be contacted at swecker@marshall.edu.
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