# 2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball team

The 2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball team represented Marshall University during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. The Thundering Herd played their home games at Dot Hicks Field and were led by fifth-year head coach Megan Smith Lyon. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.

## Preseason
### Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 2, 2023. Marshall was picked to finish sixth in the conference with 80 votes.
Coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Louisiana | 144 (12) |
| 2 | Texas State | 130 |
| 3 | South Alabama | 118 |
| 4 | Troy | 99 |
| 5 | James Madison | 93 |
| 6 | Marshall | 80 |
| 7 | Southern Miss | 68 |
| 8 | Appalachian State | 63 |
| 9 | Louisiana–Monroe | 44 |
| 10 | Coastal Carolina | 43 |
| 11 | Georgia State Georgia Southern | 27 |

## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | Marshall win |
| | Marshall loss |
| | Postponement/Cancellation |
| Bold | Marshall team member |
2023 Marshall Thundering Herd softball game log :
Regular season (43–9) :
February (11–3) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record |
| Florida Spring Games ||||||||||||
| Feb. 10 | vs. Portland State | Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL | W 8–1 | Nester (1-0) | Nakoa-Chu (0-1) | None | 205 | 1–0 |
| Feb. 11 | vs. Butler | Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL | L 6–7 | Dyer (1-0) | Joyce (0-1) | None | 128 | 1–1 |
| Feb. 11 | vs. Colgate | Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL | W 5–4 | Nester (2-0) | Acker (0-1) | None | 133 | 2–1 |
| Feb. 12 | vs. Butler | Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex • Leesburg, FL | W 7–3 | Nester (3-0) | Dyer (1-2) | None | 304 | 3–1 |
| Chattanooga Challenge ||||||||||||
| Feb. 17 | vs. Maine | Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN | W 16–0$^5$ | Nester (4-0) | Rieth (0-1) | None | 107 | 4—1 |
| Feb. 18 | vs. Indiana State | Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN | W 3–2 | Rice (1-0) | Newbanks (0-1) | None | 189 | 5–1 |
| Feb. 18 | at Chattanooga | Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN | L 4–7 | Long (1-0) | Nester (4-1) | None | | 5–2 |
| Feb. 19 | vs. Western Illinois | Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN | W 14–1$^5$ | Godfrey (1-0) | Rodriguez (0-1) | None | 103 | 6–2 |
| Feb. 19 | vs. Indiana State | Frost Stadium • Chattanooga, TN | W 1–0 | Nester (5-1) | Newbanks (0-2) | None | 215 | 7–2 |
| Liberty Classic ||||||||||||
| Feb. 24 | vs. Northern Illinois | Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA | W 5–0 | Nester (6-1) | Cassell (0-1) | None | 117 | 8–2 |
| Feb. 24 | vs. Morgan State | Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA | W 11–0$^5$ | Rice (2-0) | Raubuch (1-3) | None | 117 | 9–2 |
| Feb. 25 | vs. Princeton | Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA | W 10–2$^6$ | Nester (7-1) | Chambers (1-1) | None | 117 | 10–2 |
| Feb. 26 | at Liberty | Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA | L 4–5$^8$ | Keeney (3-5) | Nester (7-2) | None | 409 | 10–3 |
| Feb. 26 | vs. Elon | Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA | W 7–3 | Rice (3-0) | McCard (1-2) | Godfrey (1) | 217 | 11–3 |
March (17–0) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Thundering Herd Round Robin ||||||||||||
| Mar. 2 | Morehead State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 9–1$^6$ | Nester (8-2) | Ogden (1-3) | None | ESPN+ | 234 | 12–3 | |
| Mar. 2 | Morehead State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 9–1$^5$ | Rice (4-0) | Spicer (1-2) | None | | 234 | 13–3 | |
| Mar. 4 | Kent State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 8–1 | Nester (9-2) | Bowers (1-4) | None | ESPN+ | 670 | 14–3 | |
| Mar. 5 | Kent State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 10–2$^5$ | Feringa (1-0) | Irelan (2-6) | None | ESPN+ | 545 | 15–3 | |
| Mar. 5 | Pittsburgh | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 4–3 | Nester (10-2) | Drogemuller (4-3) | None | ESPN+ | 545 | 16–3 | |
| Mar. 8 | Ohio | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 6–4 | Nester (11-2) | Miller (3-5) | None | ESPN+ | 396 | 17–3 | |
| Thundering Herd March Madness ||||||||||||
| Mar. 9 | Cleveland State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 9–1$^6$ | Godfrey (2-0) | Jenkins (0-4) | Rice (1) | | 243 | 18–3 | |
| Mar. 10 | Winthrop | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 8–1 | Nester (12-2) | Boulware (5-2) | None | ESPN+ | 139 | 19–3 | |
| Mar. 11 | Cleveland State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 9–1$^5$ | Rice (5-0) | Watts (1-1) | None | ESPN+ | 243 | 20–3 | |
| Mar. 1 | Rider | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 7–0 | Nester (13-2) | Schmierer (1-3) | None | ESPN+ | 293 | 21–3 | |
| Mar. 18 | at Appalachian State | Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC | W 8–0$^6$ | Nester (14-2) | Northrop (6-2) | None | ESPN+ | 241 | 22–3 | 1–0 |
| Mar. 18 | at Appalachian State | Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| Mar. 19 | at Appalachian State | Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium • Boone, NC | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| Mar. 22 | vs. UT Martin | Knights Field • Louisville, KY | W 4–1 | Rice (6-0) | Linneman (4-4) | None | | 50 | 23–3 | |
| Mar. 22 | Bellarmine | Knights Field • Louisville, KY | W 17–2$^6$ | Godfrey (3-0) | Jensen (1-4) | None | | 80 | 24–3 | |
| Mar. 25 | Southern Miss | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 4–0 | Nester (15-2) | Leinstock (8-8) | None | ESPN+ | 671 | 25–3 | 2–0 |
| Mar. 25 | Southern Miss | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 17–9$^6$ | Godfrey (4-0) | Lee (3-3) | None | ESPN+ | 641 | 26–3 | 3–0 |
| Mar. 26 | Southern Miss | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 4–0 | Nester (16-2) | Leinstock (8-9) | None | ESPN+ | 683 | 27–3 | 4–0 |
| Mar. 28 | Northern Kentucky | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 13–1$^5$ | Rice (7-0) | Flores (4-10) | None | ESPN+ | 567 | 28–3 | |
April (12–6) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Apr. 1 | Georgia State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 6–1 | Nester (17-2) | Doolittle (6-5) | None | ESPN+ | 495 | 29–3 | 5–0 |
| Apr. 2 | Georgia State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 5–1 | Rice (8-0) | Adams (3-8) | Godfrey (2) | ESPN+ | 393 | 30–3 | 6–0 |
| Apr. 2 | Georgia State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 6–0 | Nester (18-2) | Hodnett (4-8) | None | ESPN+ | 618 | 31–3 | 7–0 |
| Apr. 7 | at Louisiana–Monroe | Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA | W 13–2$^6$ | Nester (19-2) | Abrams (4-8) | None | ESPN+ | 364 | 32–3 | 8–0 |
| Apr. 8 | at Louisiana–Monroe | Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA | W 4–3 | Rice (9-0) | Chavarria (5-4) | Nester (1) | ESPN+ | 402 | 33–3 | 9–0 |
| Apr. 8 | at Louisiana–Monroe | Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA | L 3–5 | Chavarria (6-4) | Nester (19-3) | None | ESPN+ | 402 | 33–4 | 9–1 |
| Apr. 12 | at Morehead State | University Field • Morehead, KY | W 4–2 | Rice (10-0) | Begley (4-5) | None | ESPN+ | 72 | 34–4 | |
| Apr. 14 | at Coastal Carolina | St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC | L 3–4 | Picone (8-2) | Nester (19-4) | None | ESPN+ | 315 | 34–5 | 9–2 |
| Apr. 15 | at Coastal Carolina | St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC | W 5–3 | Godfrey (5-0) | Picone (8-3) | Nester (2) | ESPN+ | 312 | 35–5 | 10–2 |
| Apr. 16 | at Coastal Carolina | St. John Stadium – Charles Wade-John Lott Field • Conway, SC | W 3–2 | Nester (20-4) | Brabham (10-7) | None | ESPN+ | 298 | 36–5 | 11–2 |
| Apr. 18 | No. 18 Alabama | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | L 1–3 | Esman (4-2) | Nester (20-5) | Fouts (4) | ESPN+ | 2,768 | 36–6 | |
| Apr. 21 | James Madison | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 10–2$^6$ | Nester (21-5) | Muh (4-2) | None | ESPN+ | 457 | 37–6 | 12–2 |
| Apr. 22 | James Madison | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | L 6–7 | Muh (5-2) | Godfrey (5-1) | None | ESPN+ | 650 | 37–7 | 12–3 |
| Apr. 23 | James Madison | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 8–4 | Nester (22-5) | Berry (9-3) | None | ESPN+ | 626 | 38–7 | 13–3 |
| Apr. 25 | No. 21 Virginia Tech | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 2–1 | Nester (23-5) | Lemley (19-10) | None | ESPN+ | 1,064 | 39–7 | |
| Apr. 28 | Texas State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | L 0–3 | Mullins (17-9) | Nester (23-6) | None | ESPN+ | 293 | 39–8 | 13–4 |
| Apr. 29 | Texas State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | W 2–1 | Rice (11-0) | Glende (1-1) | Nester (3) | ESPN+ | 479 | 40–8 | 14–4 |
| Apr. 30 | Texas State | Dot Hicks Field • Huntington, WV | L 1–9$^6$ | Mullins (19-9) | Nester (23-8) | None | ESPN+ | 393 | 40–9 | 14–5 |
May (3–0) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| May 4 | at Georgia Southern | Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA | W 4–0 | Nester (24-7) | Barnard (1-10) | None | ESPN+ | 238 | 41–9 | 15–5 |
| May 5 | at Georgia Southern | Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA | W 7–2 | Rice (12-0) | Belogorska (1-3) | Feringa (1) | ESPN+ | 249 | 42–9 | 16–5 |
| May 6 | at Georgia Southern | Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex • Statesboro, GA | W 8–1 | Nester (25-7) | Belogorska (1-4) | None | ESPN+ | 254 | 43–9 | 17–5 |
Post-season (2–1) :
SBC Tournament (2–1) :
| Date | Opponent | (Seed)/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
| May 11 | vs. (7) Coastal Carolina | (2) | Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA | W 2–1 | Nester (26-7) | Brabham (12-12) | None | ESPN+ | | 44–9 | 1–0 |
| May 12 | vs. (3) South Alabama | (2) | Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA | W 3–2 | Nester (27-7) | Hardy (17-8) | None | ESPN+ | 918 | 45–9 | 2–0 |
| May 13 | vs. (1) Louisiana | (2) | Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA | L 0–1 | Landry (17-4) | Nester (27-8) | None | ESPN+ | 1,574 | 45–10 | 2–1 |
    Schedule Source:
*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.