HUNTINGTON — Quality over quantity.
Marshall had just six hits in its softball game against Coastal Carolina on Friday at Dot Hicks Field, but four were home runs.
Haleigh Adkins had two, including the go-head bomb, in a come-from-behind 6-4 victory for the Herd over the Chanticleers to even the three-game series 1-1.
“Really great crowd at the Dot today,†Marshall coach Morgan Zerkle said. “That gives our team a lot of momentum and energy. We play better at home, and it was a great game of softball.â€
Rielly Lucas, Darnley and Adkins each had homers. Bub Feringa added a double. Marshall left just one runner on base with six hits and a walk, scoring six with six RBIs.
As for Coastal, the lone blemish to Marshall’s Paige Maynard’s complete-game win was a three-run home run for Maddy Jennings. The Chanticleers have five hitters in the lineup with an average of .333 or better. Maynard held them to three hits, striking out eight. She is now 10-5.
“I think I usually have an inning like that, but coming back, locking in and really focusing on getting the job done [was significant],†Maynard said. “I wanted to help my team have the opportunity on offense.â€
Maynard started well. Coastal Carolina placed two on base, but the Herd escaped with her first strikeout of the evening. In the second, she registered two punchouts to go two innings while allowing just one hit.
Meanwhile, Marshall was up and down in six batters through the first two frames.
The third was not as kind to Marshall. A trio of walks for Maynard loaded the bases. A fielder’s choice RBI for Keirstin Roose led to the three-run homer for Jennings. Coastal led 4-0 entering the bottom of the third.
Marshall’s first two hits were pretty darn good.
In the bottom of the third, Darnley came up and hit the first pitch she saw deep into left field for the Herd’s first run.
The next did not come until the fifth. Adkins then crushed one to the same spot. Marshall stood within two runs.
“The first pitcher, when she called a timeout, I figured she was going outside because I was off the plate,†Adkins said. “I prepared for that, and went [opposite-field] with it.â€
The Herd has been a comeback team all season and continued that Friday.
“We build off of energy,†Maynard said. “Coming off of the sixth inning today, we were all excited, hyped up. It all carried through to the rest of the game. We had big hits come in that built from there.â€
Still in the fifth, Hoskins battled for a walk to bring Darnley back to the plate. Coastal changed pitchers to Nicolette Picone, who had struck out 131 batters entering Friday’s appearance with an ERA of 2.39.
Her first pitch went wild and advanced Chandler Hoskins to scoring position. Hoskins then stole third.
Tia Titi entered as a pinch hitter, slugging a single to right field that got Marshall within a run at 4-3 with two outs in the fifth.
And while Maynard started well, she closed stronger. She struck out the side in the sixth inning to send the game into crunch time for Marshall.
“I was still aggravated from the home run, I’m not going to lie,†Maynard said. “The girl who was the first strikeout was the home run hitter. On top of that, I wanted to get three people out and not let up any free bases. I went straight at them to attack.â€
The Herd delivered.
On the first pitch of the inning, Lucas drilled yet another home run over the center-field wall. The game was tied.
After Feringa’s double, Adkins ran it back with another homer, this one to the opposite fence, to secure the two-run tank and the go-ahead frame.
“She threw me inside yesterday, so I was looking for the inside pitch,†Adkins said. “It went over right field.â€
In the bottom half, Maynard placed two balls into the infield for outs. A final snag on the run for Parks closed the contest.
“We know that we have a good-hitting team,†Zerkle said. “Yesterday, defense and pitching did well. We just needed to get those runs in and not leave people on base. We only left one today, so that was a nice adjustment from yesterday. We got the big hit when we needed it.â€
The Herd has a final game with Coastal Carolina at noon on Saturday to decide the series. The Herd then hosts Radford for a midweek doubleheader on Tuesday.
“Whoever’s in the circle, I want them to lock it down,†Maynard said. “Bub did a great job in the game before. For me, I wanted to lock in and keep zeros for our team. We want to build our own energy, keep it rolling and have a good defense.â€
COASTAL 004 000 0 — 4 3 0
MARSHALL 001 023 x — 6 6 0
Henderson, Picone (5) and Jennings; Maynard and Darnley. Hitting leaders: (CC) Pippin 2-3; Jennings 1-3, HR, 3 RBI. (M) Lucas 1-3, HR, RBI; Adkins 2-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI; Feringa 1-3, 2B; Darnley 1-2, HR, RBI.
