MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College won a pair of close games to sweep Capital University Saturday (April 6) afternoon in the annual softball Community Day sponsored by Qdoba and Burger King. The Pioneers won game one, 5-3, and then came from behind to take the second game, 3-2.
"As always, it was a great environment to play in during community day," Marietta head coach
Jenn Castle said. "We got the job done today, but there are areas in each phase of the game that we need to improve in if we want to continue gaining ground in the OAC standings."
With five wins in their last six games, the Pioneers are now 16-10 overall and 5-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Capital falls to 7-21 on the season and 1-7 in conference games.
In the first game sophomore
Hannah Richardson (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central) blasted her first career home run and then tossed 3.0 innings of shutout relief for the save. Richardson lined an 0-1 pitch over the fence in centerfield to give Marietta a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Maicy Kirk (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) made it 3-0 later in the inning with an RBI double to left center scoring
Erin Miller (Woodsfield, Ohio/Monroe Central) who reached on a single up the middle.
The Crusaders took advantage of a Marietta error in the top of the third and cut the lead to one, 3-2. Hannah Martin had an RBI single and Cory Mangen drove in a run with a sac fly.
Pioneer starter
Maddi Liston (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) (6-4) threw 4.0 innings for the win. She allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits. Liston walked two and struck out two. Richardson notched her first save of the season with 3.0 innings of hitless relief. She gave up one unearned run, walked one and struck out one.
Marietta extended its lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth. Liston led off with a single and was lifted for pinch runner
Kaitlyn Carpenter (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North). Miller sacrificed Carpenter to second base.
Britnee Kail (Dover, Ohio/Dover) reached on an error that allowed Carpenter to move over to third.
With runners on the corners, Coach Castle called for the double steal and the Pioneers executed it perfectly. Kail drew the defense's attention long enough for Carpenter score and then slid safely under the tag at second base. Kail would later score on an RBI single by
Jordan Pallay (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley).
Brianna Reardon (5-10) went the distance in the circle for Capital. She gave up five runs, four earned, on seven hits. Reardon walked one and struck out two.
Capital added an unearned run in the sixth.
Miller was the lone Pioneer with two hits in the game. Kirk and
Reagan Tom (Chandlersville, Ohio/Philo) each had a double and Richardson smacked the two-run homer.
In the second game,
Lauren Rockocy (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) delivered a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Marietta a 3-2 lead, its first of the game. Rockocy lined an 0-2 pitch to center field scoring Miller and Carpenter for the win.
Freshman
Airyanna Maurer (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) (4-1) threw 6.0 strong innings for the win. She gave up two runs on nine hits with one strikeout.
Jaclyn Mulvain (Warren, Ohio/Champion) pitched the seventh inning for her second save of the season. Mulvain allowed one hit and struck out one.
Chevonne Hayslett (1-7) took the loss after working 6.0 innings and giving up three runs on eight hits. She walked one and struck out two.
Marietta travels to Alliance on Wednesday (April 10) for a doubleheader at the University of Mount Union. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Fans can follow all the Pioneer teams all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
