WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — On their final day in the Florida sunshine, the Marietta College softball team split a pair of games. The Pioneers blanked Defiance 3-0 and then lost to No. 22 ranked Rowan University by the score of 7-2. Marietta finishes the trip 4-6 overall.
Junior
Lauren Larrick (Leesburg/Fairfield Local) (2-1) tossed the complete-game shutout over Defiance (3-6 overall). Larrick allowed just one hit with two walks and a strikeout.
The Pioneers got on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Ashelle Ireland led off and reached on an error by the Defiance second baseman. She would later score on a wild pitch.
Marietta extended its lead in the fourth inning.
Cierra Bloom (Dennison/Claymont) and Ireland started the inning with back-to-back singles. Following a sac bunt,
Kaitlin Klinchock (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) cleared the bases with a double to center field. That was all the support Larrick would need.
Sydni Smith (1-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work. Haley Patty came on in relief and did not allow a run over the final 2.2 innings.
Rowan (8-0 overall) scored in each of the first three innings and held Marietta to one hit in the game. Ashley Lesch (2-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Allison Nolan. Lersch tossed 3.0 shutout innings, while Nolan allowed two unearned runs in the first 3.0 innings.
Kristina LaRocca (Strasburg/Strasburg Franklin) (0-4) started and took the loss for the Pioneers. LaRocca worked 2.2 innings and allowed seven runs on 11 hits.
Alison Kach (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) threw the final 3.1 innings and did not allow any runs on three hits.
Marietta scored two in the top of the third cutting the deficit to 5-2. The Pioneers took advantage of two Rowan errors in the inning.
Marietta opens Ohio Athletic Conference play at Wilmington College on Saturday (March 21). Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.