KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The Marietta College Softball team relied on good pitching and defense to win two more games Monday (Mar. 9) at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. The Pioneers defeated Lake Forest (Ill.), 5-0, in game one and Webster (Mo.), 4-1, in game two. Marietta (4-0) has outscored its opponents 27-2 in its first four games of 2009. With the loss, Lake Forest fell to 1-2 overall, while Webster dropped to 2-4.
Senior Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg) (Wheelersburg) recorded the victory in game one with her second straight complete game shutout. Faulkner (2-0) went all seven innings, giving up no runs on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
The Pioneers managed to load the bases in the bottom of the third with no outs on three straight walks. Junior catcher Katie Woolf (Louisville/Louisville) (Louisville) took advantage by singling down the left field line to bring in the first two runs of the game and put Marietta ahead 2-0.
Senior Maggie Daubenmire (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth with a two out single up the middle, which scored fellow senior Emily McComb (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley) (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley) from third.
Senior Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire/Bellaire) (Bellaire) drove in the final two runs in the sixth with a double that hit the fence in right center field while the bases were loaded. McComb and freshman Hope Cowoski (Perry/Perry) (Perry) scored from second and third, respectively, pushing the lead to 5-0.
Driscoll and Woolf both had one hit and two RBI in game one. Cowoski went 2-for-3 with two bunt singles and a run scored.
The Pioneers finished with five runs on seven hits with no errors. Lake Forest finished with no runs on three hits and had two errors. Marietta stranded nine base runners while the Foresters stranded six.
Marietta took an early 2-0 lead in game two against Webster. Freshman Kylie Kitson (Belle Center/Benjamin Logan) (Belle Center/Benjamin Logan) laid down a bunt with sophomore Nikki Stone (Madison/Madison) (Madison) on first. The Webster third baseman threw the ball by the second baseman into center field allowing both Stone and Kitson to round the bases and give Marietta a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Another Webster error in the fourth allowed two more Pioneer runs to cross. Driscoll stepped up with the bases loaded and drove a ball to right field that was dropped by the right fielder, allowing Cowoski and McComb to score and put the Pioneers up 4-0 after four innings. Webster scored one in the fifth but could not get past the solid Pioneer defense and Marietta won 4-1.
Freshman Megan Born (Delta/Pike-Delta-York) (Delta/Pike-Delta-Pike) recorded her first career win in her first career start for the Pioneers. Born (1-0) went all seven innings, giving up one run on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
Stone and Cowoski both collected two hits and scored a run in the nightcap. The Pioneers plated four runs, all unearned, on eight hits and made one error. Webster finished with one run on five hits and made two errors.
The Pioneers are back in action on Tuesday (Mar. 10) morning when they will face Albion (Mi.) at 9 a.m. and then take on Shenandoah (Va.) at 11 a.m.
