WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Marietta College and Otterbein University split an Ohio Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Friday (April 30) afternoon. The Pioneers won game one, 6-3 in eight innings, while the Cardinals took game two, 6-4.
Marietta moves to 12-18 overall and 12-18 in the OAC. Otterbein is now 13-20 on the season and 10-19 in conference games. The Pioneers and Cardinals will finish their four-game series on Monday (May 3) with a 1 p.m. doubleheader in Marietta.
After uncharacteristically walking in two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning allowing Otterbein to tie the score at 3-3, senior
Maddi Liston (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) drove in the winning run in the top of the eighth inning with a single to right center. The Pioneers added two more insurance runs taking a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth.
Liston (7-6) retired the Cardinals in the home half of the eighth to secure the win. Liston pitched all 8.0 innings and allowed three runs on three hits. She walked six and struck out four.
Jordan Pallay (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) staked the Pioneers to a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the second inning. After Otterbein tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fifth, Marietta plated two runs in the sixth for a 3-1 lead.
Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) led off the Pioneer sixth with a double in the left center gap.
Anna Swierczewski (Natrona Heights, Pa./Saint Joseph) followed with a double in the same spot scoring Kazmirski.
Airyanna Maurer (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) pinch ran for Swierczewski and later scored on a single off the bat of
Kaitlyn Carpenter (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North).
Liston got the leadoff hitter out in the seventh and then surrendered a single to Savannah McCoppin. A walk to Taylor Baran gave the Cardinals runners at first and second. Liston struck out the next hitter and was one out away from victory.
Megan Payne reached on a fielder's choice when the Pioneers attempted to get McCoppin at third base, but all runners were safe loading the bases. Otterbein leadoff hitter Sage Jenkins drew a walk driving in McCoppin. Katrina Wierzbicki also walked forcing in the tying run and sending the game into extra innings.
Brook Crosby (6-7) started in the circle for Otterbein and took the loss. She threw 7.0 innings and allowed four runs on nine hits. She walked two and struck out seven. Erin Vonderwell and Jess Gunter pitched in relief for the Cardinals.
Kazmirski and Carpenter each had three hits in the game for the Pioneers.
Taylor Watts (Galloway, Ohio/West Jefferson) finished with two hits.
Otterbein scored in four of the first five innings and then held off a late Pioneer rally to earn the split. Carpenter smacked a solo home run in the fifth inning for Marietta, while
Morgan Bryant (Coshocton, Ohio/Coshocton) had a two-run double in the sixth.
Kazmirski (0-6) started in the circle for Marietta and was tagged with the loss. She gave up five runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Breanna Zirkle (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) allowed one unearned run on two hits in 1.2 innings, while
Hannah Richardson (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central) retired all three Cardinal hitters she faced in her one inning of work.
Jess Gunter (6-9) got the win. She started and threw 5.2 innings giving up four runs on six hits. Gunter walked five and struck out six. Vonderwell earned her first save of the season with 1.1 innings of shutout relief.
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.
