— By David Walsh
Losing two of its final three Sun Belt Conference games at home and then losing to a lower seed in Coastal Carolina in first round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament didn’t have the Marshall players in the best frame of mind when they turned the television on last Sunday to watch the NCAA Softball Tournament selection show.
The show rolled on and teams were announced, and by the time the top 12 seeds and teams in those brackets had been revealed, the Thundering Herd’s name had not been called.
Then came No. 13 seed Duke as host for a regional in Durham, N.C. The opponent for the Blue Devils appeared in Howard, followed by the other two picks — and there appeared Marshall’s name with its opponent Arizona of the Big 12.
Cheers erupted from the players and staff at the watch party as realization set in quickly that Marshall was among the 64-team field for the third time and first since 2017.
Duke will play Howard at noon Friday followed by the Herd and Wildcats at 2:30 p.m. The double-elimination event goes through Sunday.
“I thought our season was done and now we get to play again,” infielder Paige Simpson said. “I know how we can play. We peaked at the wrong time. No stress and go play softball. It’s a reset for us. Having an at-large bid as a mid-major is huge. It doesn’t happen often. To be part of that is really special.”
Catcher Abby Darnley shared a similar sentiment.
“I was extremely excited,” Darnley said. “I was surprised. I knew we had a chance to see our name on the board. It’s amazing to be a senior not knowing when you might play your last game. That last game is coming and I can’t wait.
“We won some really good games against good competition. Our whole season led up to this. There were highs and lows, now this is where want to be. You have to make it count. The fan base over the four years and seeing how it’s grown makes me proud to play for this school. This is a fresh start. No pressure. The last game may be coming up soon. I can’t wait to represent Marshall in North Carolina.”
Marshall (37-17, 17-7) sputtered some down the stretch and was held to one hit in the SBC Tournament setback to the Chanticleers, though the Herd had a RPI ranking of No. 28.
That was enough for head coach Morgan Zerkle to hold out hope the Herd would get selected. Marshall was one of the last four in with Georgia Tech, Indiana and Michigan.
During the season, the Herd faced the likes of Florida, Florida State, Connecticut, Georgia Tech and Akron.
“That’s why we play that schedule, to be in position at the end and still have a chance,” Zerkle said. “It was great to see. It was more special for them because they weren’t sure they’d hear their name.”
This moment meant a lot to Zerkle, a member of the 2017 Herd squad.
“We talked about it at the beginning of the year. At Florida, at Florida State. The stadiums, the crowds. How we played recently, I know we can play better. If we play free, we’re much better. This is huge. It’s really tough for mid-majors. To have three (Sun Belt) teams get in is really special. This is the standard for every year.
“This one feels more special. As a coach I have to handle a lot more. Give them the environment to be successful. They’re a great group. They want this not only for themselves, but for this program. I’m glad we’re going to Duke. More fans will show up. It will be loud. For Arizona it’s a lot further. It’ll look like a home game for us.”
Third baseman Sydnie Burko, who starred at Cabell Midland High School, led the Herd in home runs with 21, a single-season record for the program,
As a team, Marshall belted 89 homers.
“It’s special to play for Coach Z,” Burko said. “I grew up being a fan watching her play at Marshall. Now I’m on the other side of the fence playing for her. Such a blessing and to make history with this team is special.
“It’s our common goal to go play in the CWS. Many of the girls and I have become best friends. To see this goal come to fruition is a blessing. We belong if you saw the way we played early in the season. The last couple of series we didn’t finish the way we wanted to. We didn’t play to our level. Go out and play stress free, getting back to our game and enjoying it. We have nothing to lose.”
Arizona is 35-16 and went 16-8 in the Big 12. The Wildcats have the Big 12 Player of the Year in catcher Sydney Stewart, who is batting .415 with 20 home runs and 76 RBI.
Outfielder Bella Gerlach hopes to help the Herd make the most of its opportunity against a Power Conference program in the postseason.
“It was unreal to see. My heart sank with excitement” Gerlach said. “I’m so grateful I get to put that jersey on against with these girls. The best team I’ve been a part of. A reset. Being at the top of the conference can put pressure on you. Now we’re the underdog. Go in and get the job done. To choose us as an at-large validates our schedule. It’s tough, but those games get you ready for the postseason.”