AKRON, Ohio- Miami University’s magic was too much for the Marshall University Thundering Herd as it fell to the sixth seeded RedHawks 4-3 in the semi-finals of the Mid-American Conference tournament on Saturday.

“I am so proud of this group,” head coach Shonda Stanton said. “Even though we didn’t grab the championship, I couldn’t be more proud of these young ladies.”

The Herd (41-17) fought hard matching the RedHawks (27-21) seven hits, but after Miami's final inning two-out come from behind victories to make it to the semifinals the talented Marshall squad couldn’t overcome their momentum.

The RedHawks scored the first run as the home team due to coin flip in the bottom of the first inning. Jamie Carey and Jess Zogaib had back-to-back leadoff singles. The number three batter Becca Garcia singled, but Sierra Davenport (Tucson, Ariz.) threw to MU catcher Karri Britt (Huntington, W.Va.) who held on to tag out Carey trying to score. Miami pitcher Jackie Poggendorg laid down a squeeze bunt and Marshall first baseman Sara Spenia (Las Vegas, NV) alertly tagged the runner, but a nice flip to the plate couldn’t get Zogaib and Miami took the 1-0 lead.

The Herd came right back in the top of the second inning, scoring a pair of runs off two hits. Leigh Wintter (Acworth, Ga.) got the Marshall bats going with a one out single to left field. Britt followed with a walk and after the second out the two MU runners moved up on a RedHawk wild pitch. Freshman Courtney Kacenga (Sierra Vista, Ariz.) then came through with a clutch two out hit that scored both runs and gave the Herd the 2-1 lead.

Britt came through with her second long ball of the tournament in the top of the fourth to give Marshall the two run lead. Miami came back to close the gap to a single run in the bottom of the inning. A pair of singles and a Herd error allowed the RedHawks to score. After an intentional walk to load the bases with two outs, Britt made a heads up play tagging the plate on a Miami bunt to end the inning with the Herd up 3-2.

The RedHawks used a pair of hits and walks to go ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Marshall couldn’t get anything going in the sixth and it came down to the wire.

Marshall’s Davenport knocked a two-out hit and stole second base in the seventh, but the young Herd squad couldn’t get her in an fell by the final of 4-3.

The Herd dropped out of the tournament going 1-2 on the weekend, however after an impressive season the squad still has a chance to advance in the post season. The NCAA tournament has been expanded to 64 teams and with 41 wins on the year and an USA Softball/ESPN Top 25 vote the Herd has a chance for an at-large bid. The NCAA softball selection show will air at 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 7th on ESPN news. Stay tuned to www.herdzone.com for further updates.

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