Bobcats run past Thundering Herd

Tuesday's dual meet with Ohio University was the final home track meet for Marshall seniors Becky Pouch and B.J. Epps.

And they made the most of it.

"It was great to run my last race here at home," Pouch said after winning the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:59.53. "It would have been great to break the school record here but we'll have to wait for the next few weeks to see if I can do it."

Poca junior Josh Bradford won first place in the pole vault with a vault of 14 feet Tuesday at the Walter "Lefty" Rollins Track. Photo by J. Nesbitt

The Bobcats edged the Thundering Herd men's team 82-81 and the women's team 105-63 in blustery conditions at the Walter "Lefty" Rollins Track.

"They reached down and gave it their best today, despite the conditions," Marshall Coach Jeff Small said.

"They truly gave a tremendous effort."

The cold weather may have been the strongest motivator.

"On a day like this I just try to have fun," said Epps, who set a Mid-American Conference season-best time of 51.73 in the 400 hurdles Saturday. "You just come out and try to run fast. The faster you run the faster you get it over with."

The star hurdler won the 100 in 11.14 and the long jump with leap of 21-feet, 5-inch, his first collegiate attempt in the event. Epps also recorded a second-place finish in the 200 in 22.32.

"It's my first time running the 100 and (participating in) the long jump," said Epps, a native of Rock Hill, S.C.

"But for right now I'm winning and it feels good coming out here in front of what crowd we have to win and enjoy it."

The men's team logged seven other first-place finishes.

Senior Andrew Blair took first in the 200 at 22.32. Kevin Batey won the 800 at 1:59.57.

Senior Scott Johnson won the 1,500 at 4:07.38. Senior David Lyle won the 3,000 at 9:07.20.

Josh Bradford won the pole vault with a vault of 14 feet, while Aaron Trammel won the discus throw with a 137-feet, 10-inch throw.

The 4x400 relay team took first at 3:40.75.

"We had senior's finish first, second and third in the 3,000 meter run," Small said of Lyle, James Kramer and Will Byrnes.

"And they did that over a team that dominated them when they were freshmen."

In women's competition, Marshall freshman April Craver took first place in the hammer throw with a 125-feet, 11-inch throw and the discus with a 121-feet, 3-inch throw.

Senior Brooke Salmons finished first in the 800 at 2:23.80 and sophomore Alicia Cain won the shot put with a 41-feet, 3 1/2-inch toss.