MAC Champion Softball Heads to Ohio State to Take on the Big Ten

4/29/2003

Head Coach Shonda Stanton looks to continue making Herd history with a strong finish to a successful year.

The Marshall University softball team will head to Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday to take on Ohio State University in a non-conference doubleheader at Buckeye Field. Be sure to listen to the contest live on 88.1 FM or on the web at http://windowsmedia.marshall.edu/wmul.

Ohio State (23-22, 4-10) enters the contest on a four-game skid. With a team batting average of .252, the Buckeyes will be looking to get something going against the visiting Herd. Karisa Evans has led OSU at the plate, batting .333 so far on the season. Kristi DeVries and Katie Chain have both collected 10 wins on the mound and have struck out 272 batters in 258 innings of work.

After clinching the regular season MAC championship this weekend, the Herd (40-13, 19-4 MAC) is looking to roll into Columbus and steal a pair of games from the Buckeyes. After breaking nearly every MU record, the Herd is taking aim at several Mid-American Conference team and individual records. With 107 stolen bases on the season, the Herd has already placed itself among the top ten teams all-time in the MAC in that category. Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) has placed herself in the individual category, swiping 39 bases so far on the year. Amanda Williams (Powder Springs, Ga.) is threatening to dethrone the MAC’s current single season batting leader, hitting .444 and needing to move to .448 to take the title. After setting the Herd’s single season record, De’Shaun Drake (Spring Valley, Calif.) needs to add only seven more RBIs to her 50 to become the best ever in the MAC.

Hitting .300 as a team and having already clinched the #1 seed in the MAC tournament, Marshall will be looking to improve its record and vie for position in the region with a pair of wins over the Buckeyes. Marshall’s Randi Nielson (Tucson, Ariz.) will try to become the single winningest pitcher in Herd history as she goes for her 23rd win of the season Wednesday against Ohio State.

Be sure to follow the games live on the internet at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com and check out www.herdzone.com for the game story and updated stats.


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