Tigers Drop Two in Conference Opener

Monday, March 10

Memphis, Tenn.

1 PM

University of Memphis

11-10, 0-2

Marshall

10-10, 2-0

Marshall

Memphis

Mar 10, 2008 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

March 10, 2008

Box Score |  vs. Marshall Photo Gallery 

For Immediate Release
Contact: Brandon Kolditz
wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 871-5475

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

Game 1
Marshall 101 029 - 13 15  1
Memphis  110 000 -  2  4  3
WP: Jackson (4-6) LP: Valle (6-3)
HR: (MAR) Folden (4), Rodriguez (3), Stoehr (2)
3B: (MEM) Hines (1)
2B: (MAR) Folden (12) (MEM) Kelso (5), Kassner (2)

Game 2
Marshall (10-10, 2-0) 131 111 0 - 8 13  2
Memphis (11-10, 0-2)  101 010 0 - 3  4  1
WP: Destefano (2-1) LP: Bossom (4-4)
HR: (MEM) Dolfo (5)
3B: (MAR) Jackson (3)
2B: (MAR) Folden (13), Tourville 2 (6)
    (MEM) Hayden (2)

MEMPHIS - Marshall took both games of a rescheduled doubleheader against the University of Memphis softball team on Monday at the Tiger Softball Complex in the two team's conference opener.

The Thundering Herd (10-10, 2-0) won the first game 13-2 in six innings and 8-3 in game two. An original three-game series became narrowed down to two after snow forced the cancellation of games on Saturday and Sunday.

Junior second baseman Leila Dolfo had an RBI in each game for the Tigers (11-10, 0-2) and scored two runs in game two. Dolfo hit her team-leading fifth homer of the season in the second game. Junior catcher Kimmi Hayden continued her hot hitting. She finished the day with two hits and two RBI including a RBI double in game two.

Marshall's Samantha Rodriguez led both teams with five RBI in the twin bill and went 4-for-6 with a home run. The Thundering Herd's three-time All-American catcher Rachel Folden went 3-for-5 with five runs scored, two RBI and four walks.

Sophomore lefty Caitlyn Jackson (4-6) held the Tigers to four hits and two runs in game one, while Memphis freshman southpaw Janelle Valle (6-3) suffered her third loss of the season. Sophomore Erin Destefano (2-1) pitched five and two-thirds innings in the second game, allowing three runs on three hits for her second victory of the year. Memphis freshman Kimber Bossom (4-4) pitched a complete game in the loss with five strikeouts.

Folden led off the opening game with a solo home run to right field to give Marshall a 1-0 lead. The Tigers knotted the game at one in the bottom half of the inning after a triple by junior left fielder Leandra Hines and a double from senior center fielder Lindsay Kelso. The triple is the first of the year for Hines and her second career three-bagger. Memphis stranded the bases loaded in the inning.

The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second. Freshman first baseman Kailey Kassner led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior right fielder Brittany Gooch. Dolfo then knocked in the run with a sacrifice fly to right field that was dropped, allowing her to reach third on the play.

After earning four hits in the first two innings, including three extra base knocks, Marshall held Memphis hitless the remaining four innings. The Thundering Herd tied the game in the top of the third with a solo dinger by Rodriguez and took the lead in the fifth inning with two runs off a RBI double from Folden and a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez.

The flood gates opened in the sixth innings as Marshall scored nine runs on eight hits to complete its 13-2 victory. The Herd completed one trip around the lineup before Memphis retired the first out.

In game two, Folden again scored the first run after doubling and scoring on a triple by Jackson. Memphis tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Hayden to score Dolfo.

MU scored the eventual game-winning run in the second inning with three unearned runs. Memphis scored two more runs in the game with a solo home run by Dolfo in the third and an RBI double by Hayden in the fifth. Marshall scored in every inning but the seventh.

Memphis will next travel to Alabama A&M for a midweek doubleheader on Wednesday. The Tigers will then compete in their final regular season tournament of the year at the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational in Rock Hills, S.C., beginning Friday.