Marshall Softball closed out its weekend series against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns with a 3-2 win Sunday, April 26, earning its first victory at Lamson Park after dropping the first two games.
Marshall opened the series Friday with a tough 3-2 loss that came down to the final inning. The Herd got off to a strong start as Sydni Burko and Ava Blake led off the game with back-to-back singles. Burko later scored on a passed ball to give Marshall an early lead.
The Herd added to the lead in the fourth inning when Bella Gerlach hit a home run to left field, her 13th of the season, making the score 2-0.
Jules King started in the circle, striking out seven batters and keeping Louisiana from building momentum for much of the game. Louisiana ended up tying the game in the bottom of the sixth on a hit that stayed just inside the line, and the Ragin’ Cajuns won it later with a single to center and a run from Kennedy Marceaux.
Saturday’s game followed a similar pattern with Marshall just barely away from the lead in the end. Louisiana was quick to build a 5-0 lead after three innings, putting pressure on the Herd to respond.
Marshall began to attempt to chip away at the deficit, earning a home run from Burko, her 19th of the season. The homer moved her within one of tying the program’s single season record. The Herd added two runs in the final inning but came up short in a 5-3 loss.
The series turned in the finale on Sunday when Marshall responded with a comeback win.
Louisiana took an early 2-0 lead, but the Herd stayed within reach. In the fifth inning, Marshall put together a key performance to help secure the win. Paige Simpson singled up the middle to start things off; Ava Blake reached after being hit by a pitch and Burko battled a long at bat that ended in a walk to load the bases.
With two outs, Diamond Leslie came through with a bases clearing double that gave Marshall a 3-2 lead.
“We are so excited; we have high expectations,” Leslie said. “We have all been talking about this every single day since the start of the season.”
King steadily finished out the game, striking out four over the final 4.2 innings. She combined with starter Paige Maynard to limit Louisiana to only four hits in the game.
The win was a significant one for Marshall as it marked the program’s first victory at Lamson Park, which will also host the Sun Belt Conference Tournament beginning May 6.
Marshall returns home for its final regular season series, hosting James Madison Thursday, Apr. 30 at Dot Hicks Field.
Ella Hatfield can be contacted at [email protected].
