MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College and Heidelberg University split an Ohio Athletic Conference softball doubleheader on Saturday (May 8) afternoon at Marietta Field. The Pioneers took game one, 10-9 in eight innings, while the Student Princes earned the split with a 12-6 win in the second game.
Marietta moves to 14-20 overall and 14-20 in the OAC. Heidelberg is 15-20 on the season and 14-19 in conference games. The Pioneers travel to Tiffin for a 3:30 pm, doubleheader tomorrow.
Hannah Richardson (Westerville, Ohio/Westerville Central) lined a pinch hit, two-out, two-run single to left field giving Marietta the victory in the bottom of the eighth inning of game one.
Kylie Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier) reached on a two-out single to left and
Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) followed with a single up the middle and moved to second on the throw to third base. Richardson smacked the 1-1 pitch to left for the walk-off hit.
Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) gave Marietta a 3-1 lead with a three-run home run to right field in the bottom of the first. Heidelberg scored single runs in each of the first three frames to tie the score, 3-3. The Student Princes then grabbed the lead, 6-3, with three runs in the fourth.
Brown picked up another RBI with a single in the fifth triggering a five run Pioneer rally. Daugherty drove in a run with a double and
Anna Swierczewski (Natrona Heights, Pa./Saint Joseph) plated another with a single up the middle.
Whitley Arno (Hamilton, Ohio/Ross) capped the inning with a two-run bomb over the fence in right-center.
Heidelberg tied the game, 8-8, with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the sixth. The Student Princes took a 9-8 lead in the eighth when Halie Monhollen earned a two-out walk and stole second. Emma Dean followed with a single up the middle scoring Monhollen.
Ashton Helmke (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) (4-1) got the win in relief. She threw 0.1 inning giving up one hit.
Maddi Liston (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) started and pitched 4.1 innings giving up six runs, three earned, on nine hits with three strikeouts.
Sarah Keating (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) worked 3.1 innings and allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits.
Caitlin Dems (5-8) took the loss. Dems tossed 4.0 innings and allowed five runs on 10 hits. She struck out one. Riley Cruse pitched 3.2 innings and gave up five runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Daugherty, Kazmirski and
Maicy Kirk (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) each had three hits for the Pioneers. Brown went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, while Arno finished 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.
In the night cap, Heidelberg scored eight runs in the first three innings building an early 8-3 lead. Trailing 12-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Marietta plated three runs in the final frame but came up short, 12-6.
Brown blasted two more home runs in the second game. She hit a two-shot to right field in the third inning and led off the seventh with a line drive over the left field wall.
Brown, Daugherty, Kazmirski, Swierczewski, Arno and
Taylor Watts (Galloway, Ohio/West Jefferson) each had two hits in the game for the Pioneers. Brown drove in three runs, while Daugherty had a pair of doubles and Arno had a double and two RBI.
Richardson (2-2) started in the circle and took the loss. She pitched 1.0 inning and gave up five runs on five base hits. She walked two and struck out one.
Ashton Helmke (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) worked 1,0 inning of shutout relief.
Breanna Zirkle (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) was charged with three unearned runs on two hits in 0.2 innings, while Liston allowed four runs on four hits in 4.1 innings.
Dems started and got a no decision after throwing 2.0 innings. She allowed three runs on five hits. Kailyn Kroll (1-1) worked 4.1 innings for the win. She was charged with three runs in eight hits. Cruse worked the final two outs of the game striking out one.
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.
