University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
25-10, 8-6
Marshall
15-22, 1-10
Tiger Softball Takes Series From Marshall
Apr 10, 2011 | Softball
April 10, 2011
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. – The University of Memphis softball team took game two from the Thundering Herd of Marshall, 7-4, on Sunday to guarantee the series victory for the second-straight year.
For the Tigers, Lauren Carley picked up the win, evening her record at 4-4 and moving the Tigers to 25-10 (8-6 in C-USA) and matching both their win totals and their conference victories from 2010. The Thundering Herd fall to 15-21 (1-9 C-USA).
Offensively, Memphis collected double-digit hits for the fourth game in a row, pounding out 11 base knocks. Four Tigers (Maddie McKinley, Ashleigh King, Jessica Phillips, Lelani Bernardino) had two base hits apiece.
The Tigers got a contribution from everybody on offense, with all seven runs coming from a different Tiger base runner.
After falling behind 3-0, the Tigers took the lead for good in the fourth. McKinley drilled a two-run bomb to put Memphis ahead after a single by Bernardino scored Ijiah Hargrove and Keanah Prestridge.
The Tigers stretched the lead in the sixth following a mammoth three-run homer from senior Kailey Kassner, her second of the season, to go up 7-3.
Marshall’s Alysia Hively homered in the home half of the sixth, but too little, too late for the Herd to come back on the Tigers.
It was a rocky start for the Tigers in Sunday’s opener. Senior hurler Janelle Valle lasted an inning and a third before getting knocked out of the game by Marshall. She allowed three earned runs, including a home run to her sister, Herd third baseman Jazmine Valle, in the siblings first-ever meeting.
Carley entered and finished the game for Memphis. The Houston, Texas, hurler scattered three hits and a run while striking out two.
The final game of the series will get under way at roughly 2 p.m. (CT). The Tigers will be going for their first-ever series sweep against Marshall.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carley, Lauren (4-4)
L: PULVER, Natalee (7-11)
Batting:
HR: McKinley, Maddie 1 ; Kassner, Kailey 1
RBI: Bernardino, Lelani 2 ; McKinley, Maddie 2 ; Kassner, Kailey 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Bernardino, Lelani 1 ; McKinley, Maddie 1 ; Chester, Kamri 1 ; King, Ashleigh 1 ; Kassner, Kailey 1 ; Hargrove, Ijiah 1 ; Prestridge, Keanah 1
Batting:
2B: TELLES, Alianna 1 ; WINTON, Taylor 1
HR: VALLE, Jazmine 1 ; HIVELY, Alysia 1
RBI: VALLE, Jazmine 1 ; HIVELY, Alysia 1 ; WINTON, Taylor 2
SH: GUE, Ashley 1 ; SPURLOCK, Samantha 1
Base Running:
RUNS: VALLE, Jazmine 1 ; COTTRELL, Morgan 1 ; HIVELY, Alysia 1 ; THOMPSON, Taylor 1
SB: HUGHES, Jessica 1
