March 11, 2008

Box Score

LOUISA, Ky. - Marshall University junior center fielder Nate Lape went 3-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBIs and extended his hitting streak to nine games to help propel the Thundering Herd to a 9-4 victory over Valparaiso in Tuesday afternoon's non-conference baseball game in Louisa, Ky.

With the win, Marshall snaps its four-game losing streak and improves to 3-6 on the season. Valparaiso loses its eighth straight to fall to 2-10 overall.

Sophomore right-handed starter Dan Straily pitched five solid innings in his third appearance for the Herd. Straily allowed just two runs on two hits while striking out seven Crusaders en route to his first victory of the season.

Trailing 8-2 in the top of the sixth, Valparaiso senior center fielder Dan DeBruin bunted his way on first, reached second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a fly out and then scored when sophomore third baseman Josh Wallace hit a home run to cut the lead to 8-4. However, the Crusaders were shutdown over the next three innings and could get no closer.

Marshall responded with its final run in the bottom half of the inning when junior shortstop Adam Yeager scored on freshman second baseman Kenny Socorro's RBI single through the right side of the infield to post a 9-4 lead.

Valparaiso freshman right-handed starter Bryce Shafer picked up the loss for the Crusaders. The first-year pitcher struck out two in five innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits.

In his first appearance of the season, freshman right-hander Shane Farrell struck out two batters in two innings of work.

Freshman right-hander Chad Johnson pitched a one-two-three eighth, while freshman right-handed hurler Arik Sikula pitched a one-two-three ninth inning to seal the victory for the Herd. Johnson also recorded a strikeout.

Valparaiso jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when junior catcher Matt Lenski sent a ball over the fence in right field.

The Herd responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second when Lape sent a shot to deep left-center field to lead off the inning. Marshall loaded the bases and scored again when junior third baseman Brandon Casamassima scored from third on a throwing error. Freshman left fielder Ben Jurevicius picked up his second RBI of the season on the play. Shafer was able to induce an inning-ending double-play to end the threat.

Marshall added to its lead in the third inning on Lape's second long-ball of the game, this time a three-run blast, to extend the Herd lead to 5-1.

The Crusaders got a run back in the top of the fourth, but Socorro launched his second homer of the season (a two-run shot) to left field in the bottom of that inning to give the Herd a commanding 7-2 lead.

Marshall tacked on another run to push its lead to 8-2 when Lape singled and then scored on junior right fielder Kurt Lipton's RBI double in the bottom of the fifth.

Socorro, Lipton and sophomore first baseman Josh Valle each finished with a pair of hits in the win for the Herd.

Yeager doubled to left center field in the eighth inning to extend his hitting streak to five games.

Senior designated hitter Jeff Rowley and senior catcher Tommy Johnson each registered a double in the game.

The Herd returns to action Wednesday, March 12 for a doubleheader with Valparaiso beginning at 10:00 a.m. in Louisa, Ky. Junior left-hander Brian Mooney will get the start for the Herd in the first game of the doubleheader.

The games this week are being played at Lawrence County High School due to the new drainage system being put in the outfield of the Kennedy Center, and the inclement weather this past weekend that moved the games from Appalachian Power Park in Charleston.