MARIETTA, Ohio — Sophomore Michelle Sayre (Ripley, W.Va./Ripley) broke the school's career home record as Marietta College slugged its way to a doubleheader sweep of visiting Bethany College in non-conference softball action Thursday (March 24) afternoon at Marietta Field. The Pioneers (8-5), who finished with 10 hits in each game, defeated the Bison (7-5) 7-2 in the opener and then took the nightcap 9-1 in five innings. [Game 1 Box Score] [Game 1 Box Score]

Sayre's record-breaking 12th career home run was a two-run blast in the third inning of game two and gave Marietta a 4-0 lead. Sayre, who set the single-season home record with eight as a freshman, finished 2-for-3 in the game.

The Pioneers had taken a 1-0 advantage in the first frame when sophomore Katie Swejk (Tallmadge/Tallmadge) scored from second base on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Marissa McDaniel. Marietta then extended its lead to 2-0 on a RBI single from senior Maureen Kertes (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) in the second.

After Bethany got on the board with a run in the fourth, the Pioneer bats exploded for five more runs in the bottom of the frame to cap the scoring. Swejk picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly, and freshman Michelle Kelley (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) drove in another on an infield single. McDaniel followed with a two-run home run and sophomore Trayla Liles (Tollesboro, Ky./Lewis County) later added a run-scoring single.

Kelley, Liles and Kertes joined Sayre with two hits in the win.

While Marietta's offense was running on all cylinders, its defense continued to play error free and the Pioneers received a stellar pitching performance from junior Hazel Brogdon (Chugiak, Alaska/Chugiak). Brogdon improved to 1-0 after scattering one run on seven hits and two walks over five innings.

Sophomore Chelsea Chaffin (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg) gave another dominating performance on the mound while Kelly, Kertes and senior Cassady Busellato (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) joined her in having a pair of hits in the game one 7-2 victory.

Back-to-back home runs got the Pioneers going in the second inning of the opener. Kertes drilled a two-run homer to right center and Chaffin followed with a solo shot to center to give Marietta a 3-0 advantage. Swejk added the fourth run of the frame when she singled and later scored on a wild pitch.

Busellato extended the lead to 6-0 with a two-run double in the third. Liles joined the long ball parade with a solo shot over the right center fence to boost the advantage to 7-0 in the fifth.

Chaffin carried a no-hitter into the seventh before the Bison bats got going with three straight hits and cut into the seven-run deficit. Chaffin, however, settled down and got the final out to improve to 7-3 on the season.

Marietta opens Ohio Athletic Conference play at 1 p.m. Saturday (March 26) when Wilmington College visits Marietta Field for a doubleheader.