Softball team hosts Toledo

Marshall University’s softball team continues its six-game home stand Tuesday when it faces the University of Toledo at Dot Hicks Field.

The Herd will play the Rockets in a doubleheader beginning 1 p.m.

Marshall has not played Toledo (4-17) since March 2011 when the Herd fell to the Rockets 13-0 in Oxford, Ohio at the Miami Ohio Invitational.

Marshall (12-8) is coming off of its home and Conference USA opener against the University of Texas at El Paso.

The Herd swept the series against the Miners, winning 10-1, 5-1 and 8-3.

Sunday’s victory was the 500th win for head coach Shonda Stanton at Marshall. Stanton has 527 career victories after spending one season at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (1999) before coming to Marshall.

Junior pitcher Jordan Dixon earned all three wins and struck out 17 batters.

Dixon is now third all-time in program history with 62 career wins and needs four more to become Marshall’s all-time leader.

The Marshall offense registered 36 hits, 23 runs and 13 stolen bases through the weekend.

Both freshman Briana Daiss and senior Raquel Escareno hit home runs and Daiss had her third game with five RBI this season.

Senior Kaelynn Greene, junior Morgan Zerkle and sophomore Elicia D’Orazio combined for 10 of the Herd’s stolen bases.

Stanton said she was proud of her pitcher’s performance against the Miners, as well as the rest of her team.

“I was pleased to see Dixon continue to grind and to be so dependable,” Stanton said in a news release. “UTEP is very aggressive at the plate, and I felt we made some great plays defensively. Elicia (D’Orazio) made some great plays for us up the 5-6 hole and Lucas has been really sharp for us at the hot corner.”

Stanton said she has been impressed with her team’s ability to thrive under pressure this season.

“We saw a lot of positive things from these kids,” Stanton said. “Whether they are a freshman or a senior, every day starter or not, we are seeing a lot of kids step up and be ready when their number is called.”