Softball is a game of speed.

And back in my Division I pitching days, I was obsessed with it.

Offensively, I longed for it. I wished with every fiber of my being that I could be fast. But I was in what we would call "unrequited love" with speed. I was as slow as molasses in January on the base paths. If I was standing on second wearing a helmet, you can bet something was going terribly wrong for my team.

Defensively, however, I feared speed. Every pitcher can attest to that ever-so-slight twinge of uneasiness that arose when a tricky lefty strode up to the plate.

Coaches and players alike recognize that games are won and lost along those 60-foot stretches. And some impressive base-stealing bandits are sprinkled across the country at this very moment. From Stetson to Morgan State and down to Prairie View, the competition among these speedsters is pretty stiff. In fact, every player ranked in the top 10 for stolen bases this season has recorded no fewer than 48.

College coaches would love to have just ONE player tiered at the top of this statistical category.

Well, Marshall softball has TWO.

Enter Elicia D'Orazio and Morgan Zerkle. As of May 1, the pair has recorded a combined 85 stolen bases, making them the only two players on the same Division I team to be ranked in the top 10. D'Orazio is tied for second with an average of 1.07 steals per game, while Zerkle ranks sixth with 0.88. As a unit, the Thundering Herd lead the nation in steals, averaging 3.2 per game.

The duo has pilfered its way into the record books, earning some prestigious recognition worldwide. D'Orazio, a junior infielder from Clermont, Florida, represented Team Puerto Rico last summer, playing on stages such as the Torneo Della Repubblica in Italy. She's been named to C-USA's all-conference first team and was the 2015 freshman of the year.

Zerkle, who is currently in the running for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, was recently drafted to the NPF's Scrap Yard Dawgs. The senior shortstop is also a member of the USA Women's National Team, and in 2015, took home the Golden Shoe Award for leading the nation in stolen bases (.94 per game).



These two have become the Thelma and Louise of college softball, and they're loving every second of it.

"Having Elicia next to me in the lineup is so much fun," Zerkle said. "We get to steal, double steal, and be sneaky together."

But these two ending up on the same team was no accident. In fact, it's part of a plan that's been in motion for almost two decades.

In 2000, Shonda Stanton become Marshall's head softball coach, and the Herd haven't slowed down since. Stanton is the winningest coach in Marshall history, recording 11 seasons of at least 30 wins. And many would attest much of that success to Stanton's need for speed.

Since the program's inception in 1994, Marshall has recorded 2,142 steals. But over half of them have been recorded during Stanton's tenure… 1,910 to be exact. That's an average of 106.11 per season.

"It's an expectation at Marshall to be fast," Zerkle said. "It's every single day. If we aren't being aggressive, Coach Stanton gets on us. But it's because she wants everyone running to the best of their ability."

It's safe to say Stanton gets results. Since her first season at the helm of the Herd, 15 different players have recorded at least 20 stolen bases in a season, and the program has recorded 100-plus steal seasons 11 times.

So what's going on over there in Huntington, West Virginia? With numbers like these, the Thundering Herd just might have perfected the art of the steal. What's their secret?

But Zerkle and D'Orazio said there is no secret. It just takes confidence.

Confidence is the biggest part of stealing bases.

D'Orazio said, "You have to know that you're going to make that next 60 feet. When you believe it, you do it."

Zerkle added, "And really and truly, a lot has to take place defensively for someone to get you out. The defense has to execute a perfect throw, perfect catch, and perfect tag. So you just have to believe that you're better… better than the catcher's arm and the second baseman's glove. You have to know and trust your skills."

Marshall's success on the base paths has not gone unnoticed by the team's opponents. So much so, that some teams have tried to use the MU's tricks on the Herd themselves. Imitation is the biggest form of flattery, and Zerkle said that duplication only gives Marshall more of an advantage.

"When you know most of the tricks, it gives you insight on what to expect from other teams," Zerkle said. "A lot of teams are trying to copy our style of running bases. For example, teams will try to fake bunt and steal with a runner at second. Well, we do that all the time. So, as a shortstop, I know to cheat over to third and not let that runner beat me there. And we have a heck of a catcher too, so that combo gives us a huge advantage."

D'Orazio said, "I love being involved in pickoff and steals defensively. Because we steal so much, we are calm when someone tries to steal on us. We aren't taken by surprise."

For decades, softball teams would recruit players with sheer power, winning with soldiers who had the strongest weapons. But that approach seems to be dying off.

Now, that arsenal of cannons has been replaced… by silent, stealthy assassins. And Zerkle and D'Orazio love being a part of this transformation.

"Everyone is hitting left-handed now," D'Orazio said. "There's more slapping, small ball, and really creative plays to get runners in scoring position. Speed is the biggest factor in the game now."



"Most of the nation's top hitters are slappers, and there's a reason for that," Zerkle said. "They score with speed. And coaches recruit players with speed."

The silent, speedy Herd have been chasing greatness for close to 20 years, building on a culture of aggressiveness and strategy. And with players like Zerkle and D'Orazio leading the way, it's no surprise that Marshall hit a record-breaking milestone this year.

On April 25, the Thundering Herd were ranked in the top 25 for the first time in program history.

And as of May 2, they sit at No. 23.

"Seeing the whole program come together and get recognition is awesome," Zerkle said. "We've always known we were good enough, but knowing that other people recognize our success is so rewarding."

As for D'Orazio, her gratitude teeters more in the other direction.

"I'm so glad I play for this team and not against this team," she said.

As the regular season of Division I softball comes to a close, be on the lookout for the Thundering Herd. Their aggressive, all-out style and their nothing-to-lose attitudes will be entertaining to watch during the postseason.

But don't blink.

The Herd are so fast, you just might miss them.

Follow Kati Morse on Twitter @MoreseCodeRed

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