MARIETTA, Ohio — Three straight one-out hits in the bottom of the sixth inning helped the Marietta College softball team capture game two of a non-conference doubleheader against visiting Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College on Sunday (March 22) afternoon at Marietta Field. The Presidents won the opener, 2-0, to secure the twin bill split.
Marietta (8-6) held a 1-0 advantage after the second frame of game two. Junior Katie Woolf (Louisville/Louisville) (Louisville) led off the inning with a double and scored two batters later when sophomore Cassady Busellato (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) singled off the second baseman's glove.
Washington & Jefferson (3-9) answered with two runs in the third to take the lead when Valerie Schultz had a two-run single to right field.
The Pioneers tied the game in the fourth. Senior Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire/Bellaire) (Bellaire) singled with one out and stole second base. Busellato then reached on an infield single, and sophomore Nikki Stone (Madison/Madison) (Madison) followed with a bunt single to load the bases. After a strikeout, senior Emily McComb (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley) (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley) came through with a RBI single up the middle to plate Driscoll.
Marietta broke the tie in the sixth. Stone doubled over the center fielder's head with one out. Freshman Maureen Kertes (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) followed with a RBI triple down the right field line. McComb then slapped a ball through the left side of the infield to drive in Kertes and give the Pioneers a 4-2 lead.
The President loaded the bases with two outs against sophomore starter Amanda Strong (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South), but senior Maggie Daubenmire (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) raced down a fly ball to center for the final out and the Pioneers held on for the 4-2 win.
Marietta out hit Washington & Jefferson 1-6 in the nightcap and overcame a pair of errors; both teams left eight runners on base. The Presidents had one error in the loss.
Strong (2-2) scattered two runs on seven six hits; she walked two and struck out five. Georgia Schumacher took the loss after allowing four runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts in six frames.
McComb finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Woolf, Busellato and Stone each had a pair of hits in the game. Katelynn Falleroni led the Presidents with two hits in the loss.
Rebecca Nachreiner, daughter of former Marietta baseball All-American Charles Nachreiner '79, stymied the Pioneers offense in the opener. She held Marietta to just two hits while striking out three in the complete-game victory.
Senior Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg) (Wheelersburg) was the tough-luck loser, falling to 5-3. She allowed two runs on eight hits, walked three and fanned one in 4 2/3 innings. Freshman Megan Born (Delta/Pike-Delta-York) (Delta/Delta-Pike-York) worked the final 2 1/3 innings; she allowed one hit, walked one and struck out one.
Kelly Morrow paced Washington & Jefferson with three hits, while Kristine Barry had two in the win. Woolf and Driscoll each had one hit for Marietta.
The Presidents, who had nine hits, scored their first run in the third when Barry hit a sacrifice fly with one out. Victoria Doerschner had a RBI double to left center in the fifth to drive in the final run of the game.
Marietta will resume its busy schedule, which includes five doubleheaders in eight days, on Tuesday (March 24) when Bethany (W.Va.) College visits Marietta Field. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. Live stats will be available at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/livestats/xlive.htm.
