KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Head Coach Jeanne Arbuckle's squad opened up its 2009 season with two victories Sunday (Mar. 8) afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. The Lady Pioneers downed St. Francis (Ill.) in game one, 3-0, then defeated Beloit (Wis.). 15-1, in game two. With the wins, the Pioneers improved to 2-0 on the season. St. Francis fell to 0-1 and Beloit dropped to 0-2.

In game one, senior Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg) (Wheelersburg) captured her first win of the spring with a complete game shutout over St. Francis. Faulkner (1-0) pitched all seven innings, giving up only four hits while finishing with five strikeouts and one walk.

Sophomore Ashley Eberhardt (Massillon/Tuslaw) (Massillon/Tuslaw) put the Pioneers in front for good in the bottom of the sixth when she belted a three-run home run over the right field fence. Eberhardt, who also singled earlier in the game, finished 2-for-3 with three RBI. Junior Maggie Daubenmire (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) added two hits in the opener.

The Pioneers finished game one with three runs on nine hits and committed no errors. St. Francis finished with no runs on four hits and made one error. The Pioneers stranded eight runners while St. Francis left only three on base.

In game two, the Pioneers blew by Beloit 15-1. The Buccaneers entered the third inning leading 1-0, before the Pioneers proceeded to rip off seven runs on five hits in top half of the stanza. Two Beloit errors on the same play started the Pioneer rally. With two runners on, Daubenmire drilled a ball that scooted past the right fielder. Both runners scored and Daubenmire reached third on the first error. The throw in from right field went past the catcher, which gave Daubenmire just enough time to reach home plate safely. A series of singles would plate the other four runs in the inning, giving Marietta a 7-1 lead in the third.

Junior Katie Woolf (Louisville/Louisville) (Louisville) drove in two more runs with a single to left field in the seventh to put Marietta up 9-1. Four bases loaded walks in the inning plated four more Pioneer runs to push the score to 13-1. A double from Danielle Stein (Dublin/Coffman) (Dublin/Coffman) plated the final two runs making the score 15-1.

Sophomore Amanda Strong (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) earned her first victory of 2009 in game two. Strong (1-0) went all seven innings, giving up one run on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks.

Sophomore Hope Cowoski (Perry/Perry) (Perry) went 3-for-3, scoring one run and driving in another in the nightcap. Woolf also went 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored in the victory. Six other Pioneers had a hit in game two.

Marietta finished game two with 15 runs on 11 hits with one error. Beloit finished with one run on four hits with three errors. The Pioneers left 12 on base, while the Buccaneers stranded seven.

The Lady Pioneers are back in action at the Rebel Spring Games on Monday (Mar. 9) afternoon when they take on Lake Forest (Ill.) at 3 p.m. and then Webster (Mo.) at 5 p.m.