KISSIMMEE, Florida - Two freshman pitchers led the way for the Marietta College softball team as the Pioneers picked up two wins at the Rebel Spring Games Monday (March 12) morning in Kissimmee. [Game One Box] [Game Two Box]

The Pioneers downed Mount Saint Joseph 6-0 in the first game, then took out Defiance in game two 4-1. The Pioneers are now 3-1 overall on the year. MSJ falls to 0-2 while Defiance is now 1-4.

Freshman Alexis O'Hair picked up the win in game one. O'Hair (1-1) went all seven innings securing the shutout win. She allowed five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Mount Saint Joseph got runners in scoring position only three times on O'Hair, but the freshman was game each time keeping the Lions off the scoreboard for seven frames.

Junior Katie Swejk (Tallmadge/Tallmadge) led off the game by drawing a walk and stealing second. Swejk scored off a Lion error to put Marietta ahead 1-0 after one.

Junior Kirstie Welch (Pickerington/North) put Marietta up 2-0 after two when she scored from second base off an infield sacrifce from senior Hazel Brogdan.

Marietta plated three more in the top of third. Junior Michelle Sayre (Ripley, W.Va./Ripley) led off with a triple down the right field line. She later scored off a single from freshman Sarah Mayo (Proctorville/Chesapeake).

Mayo then scored later in the inning from third off a single from junior Allison Keller. Welch scored the fifth Pioneer run off a suicide squeeze layed down by Brogdan.

Junior Marissa McDaniel drove in Swejk with a hard hit single that the Lion shortstop couldn't handle in the top of the sixth putting Marietta up 6-0 for the game one win.

Borgdan recorded two RBIs in the first game, both on sacrifices. Swejk and McDaniel both went 2-for-3 with Swejk scoring two runs, while McDaniel notched an RBI. Welch went 1-for-2 with two runs scored in the win.

Marietta recorded nine total hits in game one.

Freshman Emily Estrich (Sylvania/Southview) took the win in the nightcap for Marietta. Estrich (2-0) kept the Defiance lineup baffled all morning going all seven innings and allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks.

Both teams could not find the scoreboard through the first three innings of play. Marietta took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Trayla Liles (Tollesboro, Ky./Lewis County) belted a single to center field which would score Michelle Kelley (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) from second.

Estrich kept the Yellow Jackets at bay until the sixth. Defiance loaded the bases on the freshman, but Estrich allowed only one run going to the bottom of the sixth.

The Pioneer bats then backed up its freshman pitcher plating three runs in the frame. After a Kelley walk and steal, McDaniel doubled over the Defiance centerfielder scoring Kelley and putting Marietta back ahead 2-1.

The Pioneer rally was not over however; as Liles singled through the pitcher's legs scoring McDaniel and giving Marietta a 3-1 lead. Sophomore Hannah Tarski (Independence/Independence) doubled down the left field line scoring Welch who pinch ran for Liles.

Estrich shut down the Jackets again in the seventh giving Marietta the 4-1 win in game two.

Tarski went 3-for-3 in the nightcap with an RBI while Liles went 2-for-3 with two RBI's. McDaniel also scored an RBI as she went 1-for-3 in the Marietta win.

Marietta recorded eight hits in the nightcap.

The Pioneers will return to action Tuesday (Mar. 13) morning first against Lake Forest (Ill.) at 9 a.m., then against Farmingdale State (N.Y.) at 11 a.m.