Marshall Softball spent the first two weeks of the 2026 season living out of suitcases and competing under the Florida sun.
Across 10 days and three cities, the Herd played 12 games in Tallahassee, Jacksonville and Gainesville. They faced nine different teams, including nationally ranked opponents Florida and Florida State. The demanding opening stretch offered an early test for the team.
“I’m really proud of this squad,” head coach Morgan Zerkle said. “I think they have a lot of faith in themselves this year, and people with not even a ton of experience are very confident, and that’s fun to see.”
Marshall opened the season at the JoAnn Graf Classic with back-to-back 10-1 wins over the UConn Huskies and Samford Bulldogs.
Sophomore Diamond Leslie started off the season with a home run to center field, setting the tone for the rest of an offense-packed weekend. Ava Blake added a two-run homer to right field in her first collegiate at-bat, and senior Bella Gerlach had her first home run since the 2024 season.
The Herd followed the win against the Huskies with a run-rule victory to the Bulldogs. Blake and Tia Titi had three-run home runs each, and Jules King pitched a complete five-inning game. Marshall’s offense proved powerful with a combined 25 hits and six home runs in its first two contests. There were also six players with at least one RBI.
The level of competition intensified Saturday, Feb. 7, against the No. 7 Florida State Seminoles. Marshall fell short in both games, finishing the doubleheader 6-2 and 10-2.
The Herd responded Sunday with a 6-3 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes. A four-run fifth inning, highlighted by home runs from Leslie and Blake, secured the third win and closed the Classic with Marshall sitting at 3-2.
“This weekend was absolutely unreal,” Blake said after the Iowa win. “I think we came together and kind of proved who we are as a team. [We had] a lot of energy having each other’s backs. Today, ultimately, we just wanted to come in and be better and [have] everyone rise to the occasion, and we did just that.”
Between the two tournaments, Marshall played a pair of midweek games in Tallahassee and Jacksonville. Sydni Burko fueled a 3-2 extra-inning win over Florida A&M with two home runs, including a go-ahead shot in the ninth, and three RBIs. Jules King pitched five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts following freshman Rylan Miller’s first collegiate start in the first four. The Herd then went on to come up short 4-3 to North Florida before heading south to Gainesville.
Marshall opened the Florida Classic with a dominating 7-0 victory against the FIU Panthers, powered by five home runs and 6.1 scoreless innings from Paige Maynard. Later that day, the Herd fell 6-3 to the No. 5 Florida Gators. Burko’s two-run homer in the fourth inning briefly cut the deficit, but Florida hit back with three in the fifth.
Marshall dropped its remaining games to Georgia Tech, Florida and FIU to close out the tournament. The four back-to-back losses left the Herd at 1-4 for the Classic.
Throughout the season opening trip, Marshall showed a strong offense with power at the plate. The Herd hit 21 home runs during the Florida swing, with Burko emerging as an early offensive leader. The pitching staff delivered key innings as well.
Twelve games in 10 days provided a demanding early test and a clearer sense of where the Herd stands. Marshall returned from the Sunshine State at 5-7 overall with losses coming to teams that opened 2026 with a combined 44-9 record.
Marshall Softball returns home to prepare and pack bags before heading back on the road for the Charlotte Invitational Friday, Feb. 20. The Herd will be facing Jacksonville, Charlotte and Boston University several times across three days.
Ella Hatfield can be contacted at [email protected].
