MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College split an Ohio Athletic Conference softball doubleheader with rival Muskingum University Monday (April 6) afternoon. The Pioneers won the first game, 7-2, before falling in the nightcap, 6-2. The Pioneers are 11-13 overall and 4-4 in the OAC. Muskingum moves to 11-15 on the season and 2-6 in the OAC.
The Pioneers scored five runs on just one base hit in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie. Marietta took advantage of three base on balls and two hit batsmen in the inning.
Muskingum scored a run in the third and another in the fifth. Marietta plated two in the bottom of the third. The Pioneers' first run scored on a defensive miscue by the Muskies and the second scored on a wild pitch.
Junior
Lauren Larrick (Leesburg/Fairfield Local) started in the circle for the Pioneers and worked 4.1 innings. She gave up two runs, one earned, on seven hits. Larrick walked one and struck out four.
Alison Kach (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) (4-3) tossed 2.2 innings of shutout relief to get the win. Kach surrendered two hits, while walking one and striking out one.
Sarah Browning (3-8) started and was tagged with the loss for the Muskies. Browning threw 6.0 innings and gave up five runs on only three hits. She had control problems issuing four walks to go along with five strikeouts.
Brey Mays (Bloomingdale/Indian Creek) had a double for the Pioneers, while
Courtney Kerwood (Nashport/Tri-Valley),
Kaitlin Klinchock (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) and
Brianna Finck (New Lexington/Crooksville) each finished with one single.
It was the Muskies' turn to ride one big inning to victory in game two. Leading 2-1 heading into the seventh inning, Muskingum tallied four runs to push the lead to 6-1. The big blow was a three-run home run from Jessica Matthews.
Marietta got on the board in the fifth inning when
Cierra Bloom (Dennison/Claymont) doubled to the wall in left center. She advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly from
Sarah Mayo (Proctorville/Chesapeake).
Bloom and Mayo lead off the seventh with back-to-back singles as the Pioneers tried to rally from behind. Kerwood followed with a line drive down the right field line that Muskie outfielder Amber Bova made a spectacular catch on.
A single from
Rachel Montgomery (Massillon/Perry) loaded the bases with one out. Klinchock followed with a ground ball to the third baseman who forced Bloom at the plate for the second out. A wild pitch allowed Mayo to score. With the tying run at the plate, Browning got a strikeout to end the game.
Kristin Gill (3-5) started and pitched 6.0 innings for the win. Gill allowed two runs on eight hits. She walked three and struck out two. Browning worked 1.0 inning and gave up one hit and struck out one.
Alexis O'Hair (Maumee/Maumee) (2-3) took the loss. O'Hair worked 6.2 innings and gave up four runs on eight hits. She walked one and struck out one.
Kristina LaRocca (Strasburg/Strasburg Franklin) pitched 0.1 innings and was charged with two runs on one hit.
Mayo finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and one runs scored. Bloom had two hits, including a double. Kerwood and Montgomery also had two hits in the game.
Marietta travels to the University of Mount Union on Wednesday (April 8) for a 3:00 p.m. OAC doubleheader.
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.
