April 18, 2004
Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Miami University's softball team rode the strong pitching of junior Jackie Poggendorf (Phoenix, Ariz./Shadow Mountain) to a 3-2 victory over Marshall, Sunday afternoon in Huntington. Poggendorf won her second game of the weekend for the RedHawks (18-19, 11-4 MAC) who took two-of-three from the Thundering Herd (27-20, 8-5 MAC) and remain in first place in the MAC East Division.
"Our players did a good job of carrying over the energy from yesterday into today," said head coach Angie Jacobs. " They were able to put pressure on (Marshall) more than they could put on us by playing aggressively."
The RedHawks capitalized on two Marshall errors to take a 2-0 advantage early. Sophomore Kristen Hays (Phoenix, Ariz./Shadow Mountain) reached on an infield single to lead off the second inning. Attempting to move Hays over with a sacrifice bunt, Poggendorf reached second on the first Herd error with Hays advancing to third. Freshman Leslie Macedo (Livermore, Calif./Livermore) was intentionally walked to load the bases, before both Hays and Poggendorf scored on the second error of the inning.
Hays gave the Red and White a three-run lead, at 3-0, with an RBI single in the third. With one out, sophomore Bianca Paz (Mesilla, N.M./Las Cruces) singled up the middle and proceeded to steal second base. Hays followed with an infield single to the shortstop, scoring Paz from second.
The Thundering Herd got on the board with single runs in both the third and sixth innings. Gina Guzzo led off the third with a single. After a sac bunt and ground out to second base, Sierra Davenport made it 3-1 with a bunt single. In the sixth it became 3-2 when Davenport singled to center and stole second. After a ground out, she scored from third on an errant pick-off attempt.
Poggendorf (10-5) picked up her second complete game four-hitter of the weekend, giving up one earned run, striking out 11 batters and walking none. In 14 innings of work against the league's top-hitting team this weekend, Poggendorf allowed just eight hits and struck out 19 batters compared to two walks.
"Jackie is pitching extremely well," said Jacobs. "The great thing is that she still has places to improve. She's only a junior, so it means she will still get better."
Marshall threatened to tie the game in the seventh inning, putting the tying run on second base with two outs. With one out, Ashley Mitchell struck out, but reached on a wild pitch. After moving to second on a sacrifice bunt, Mitchell was left stranded when Poggendorf struck out pinch-hitter Allison Webb to end the game, her third punch out of the inning.
"We are working towards our goal well," said Jacobs on the team's 11-4 MAC record. "We want to win every series we play and, with the exception of Western Michigan, have done that. We are well on our way to where we want to be with three conference series to go."
Miami takes a quick reprieve from the conference schedule to host Wright State in a doubleheader on Wednesday. The weekend marks a return to MAC play and the road, as the RedHawks travel to Athens, Ohio, for a three-game set with Ohio.
