Marietta softball closes season with sweep of Bethany
Pioneers win 2-0 and 11-2 to finish year 21-13

April 29, 2008
BETHANY, W.Va. — Marietta College seniors Brandy Jacob (Wellington/Keystone), Krista Huffman (Woodsfield/Monroe Central) and Nikki Veigel (Canton/South) closed out their careers on a winning note thanks to a pair of victories, 2-0 and 11-2, over host Bethany (W.Va.) College Tuesday (April 29) afternoon. The Pioneers finished the year 21-13, while the Bison fell to 19-21. The three Marietta seniors finished their career as the winningest class in school history, compiling a 104-61 (.630) record.

Marietta out hit Bethany 9-3 in the opener and did all of its damage in the first three frames. Junior Emily McComb (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley), who finished 2-for-4, led off the first with a double and scored on a double by sophomore Katie Woolf (Louisville), who finished the season with 29 RBI, which ranks fourth in single-season history.

The Pioneers added their final run in the third when McComb doubled and scored on a RBI single by Jacob. Jacob, who finished 2-for-4, ended her career as the all-time leader in both at-bats with 513 and hits with 152. She was also second, behind only classmate Huffman, in career games played. Huffman participated in a school record 163 games, while Jacob played in 158 games.

Junior Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg) fired her fifth complete-game shutout of the spring, which tied her for fifth on the Pioneers’ single-season list. Faulkner, who allowed just three hits while walking two and striking out seven, also moved into fifth place in the single-season win column with her 13th victory in 19 decisions.

In the nightcap, Marietta out hit Bethany 10-8 and had four players—Woolf, Veigel, junior Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire) and freshman Kristin Tidd (Marietta/Frontier)—collect a pair of hits in the win.

Freshman Amanda Strong (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) finished her season on a solid note, allowing just one earned run on eight hits. Strong (8-3) walked three and struck out three.

Faulkner drove in the first two runs with a double in the first. After Bethany scored one in the second, Marietta plated six in the third to break the game open. Huffman had a two-run single, while Tidd, McComb, Jacob and sophomore Maggie Daubenmire (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) all drove in a run in the frame.

The Bison added another run in the fifth to cut the deficit to six, 8-2, but the Pioneers came back with three in the sixth to complete the 11-3, six-inning victory. Driscoll doubled home a run, while Veigel plated a pair in the inning.

Notes: Erin Faulkner finished the year with nine home runs, which ranked second all-time...Nikki Driscoll is now fifth on the all-time home run list with five home runs...Emily McComb is now second all-time in sacrifices (38) and putouts (736), while third in career stolen bases (40).