Marshall Softball Recap
By Rhys Owens, FM88 Sports
March 31, 2025
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. (WMUL-FM) — The Marshall Softball Team hit the diamond at home this weekend after a conference series sweep. Marshall (18-14) played host to the Texas State Bobcats (20-7) starting on Friday. Both teams sit within the top five in the Sun Belt Conference standings giving an air to a matchup not yet seen this season at Dot Hicks Field.
Game one was all Marshall as it jumped out to an early 5-0 lead over the Bobcats. A Diamond Leslie double scored Kasia Parks in the first. Leslie continued her success at the bottom of the third, homering deep to right field with the bases loaded, giving Marshall a 5-0 lead.
The Bobcats came storming back after holding the Herd scoreless for an inning, starting off the top of the fifth with three straight hits, the last of which was a Megan Kelnar single which scored Erin Peterson. Texas state doubled up in the inning on a Ciara Trahan single to the left scoring Sydney Harvey.
Despite a rally, the Herd’s defense proved to be too much for the Bobcats, who were held scoreless until the top of the seventh when Aiyana Coleman belted a solo home run to left field. Bub Feringa led the way for the Herd’s pitching staff, she pitched five innings giving up only two runs while Jules King came in to pitch two innings allowing only a single run.
Game two of the series took place on Saturday in a double header that would see a series winner by the end of the evening. In the first game of Saturday’s slate, the Bobcats came back for revenge despite an early 3-1 deficit courtesy of a Rielly Lucas homer which scored three runs.
Texas State came storming back to seal a 5-3 victory on the back of a Coleman homer for two runs and a Kelnar single which scored Harvey. Texas State pitcher Madison Azua pitched the entire seven innings, giving up only three hits and three runs while only walking two batters.
The rubber match took place just 30 minutes after game number two, and with a series win on the line both teams showcased stellar play. Texas State rattled off two runs in the top of the second inning on a Kate Bubela single scoring Kelnar and Karmyn Bass. The Herd came back with a run in the bottom of the third after Paige Simpson stole home.
The next four innings saw no runs allowed by either team’s pitching staff, giving up only four combined hits in the process. At the top of the seventh the Bobcats came out and rebuilt their two-run lead on a Trahan double that scored Kelnar. Marshall came out swinging in the bottom of the inning scoring two runs to equalize on a Leslie double that scored Simpson and Ava Blake to equalize.
Neither team went cold as Texas State retook the lead in the top of the eighth on a Coleman single that scored Peterson, and the Herd tied it back up on a Parks solo homer. The ninth inning saw the Herd take the series after holding the Bobcats to only a single hit; Diamond Leslie then put a stamp on an already elite performance by hitting a walk off solo homer for the win.
With the win Marshall moves to 7-2 in conference play, tied for first with Georgia Southern and the University of Louisiana Monroe. The Herd will hit the road this week for a series when they travel to Boone, N.C. to play the Appalachian State Mountaineers starting on Friday with a 12:00 p.m. first pitch.