CLERMONT, Florida — Bethany Lutheran College scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Marietta College 5-4 Sunday (March 6) afternoon at The Spring Games. The Pioneers fall to 1-3 on the young season, while the Vikings improve to 5-4.
Marietta led 4-3 heading into the home half of the seventh inning, but a pair of errors proved costly as Bethany Lutheran plated two unearned runs to steal the win. Marietta reliever
Ashton Helmke (Defiance, Ohio/Tinora) beaned the first Alyssa Kosta to start the Viking rally. Kosta was lifted for pinch runner, Jolyne LeClair.
Ana Christofferson dropped down a sac bunt and reached safely on a throwing error by the Pioneer third baseman. LeClair moved over to third. Haley Stockman followed with a single to center scoring LeClair and moving Christofferson to second base. Olivia Fritz sacrifice bunted and again the Pioneers threw the ball away allowing Christofferson to score the winning run.
The Pioneers scored twice in the third inning to grab an early lead.
Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) led off with a single and was replaced by pinch runner
Makayla Cordle (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson).
Emma Burke (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) walked and was replaced by pinch runner
Natalie Payton (St. Marys, W.Va./St. Marys).
BLC went to the bullpen and put Kaitlyn Doucette in the circle for starter Kayla Senne. Doucette struck out
Jillian Middleton (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) and then beaned
Paige Adams (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) loading the bases.
Taylor Airy (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) grounded to the shortstop, allowing Cordle to score, who forced Adams at second base. The relay throw to first was errant allowing Payton to score.
The Vikings answered with three runs in the bottom of the third. The big blow was a two-run triple from Kaija Mork.
Marietta retook the lead when Adams launched a two-run bomb in the fifth inning. Middleton doubled to start the inning and scored on the Adams home run.
Senne (5-2) returned to the circle in the seventh to get the win. She worked 2.1 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on one hit. Senne walked seven and struck out three. Doucette gave up two runs on two hits in 2.1 innings, while Kosta tossed 2.1 innings of shutout relief.
Middleton started in the circle for the Pioneers and went 6.0 innings. She was tagged for three runs on eight hits with five walks and four strikeouts. Helmke (0-1) took the loss allowing two unearned runs on one hit without retiring a batter.
Middle led the Pioneer offense with two hits, including a double. Adams was 1-for-2 with the two-run home run.
Katelyn Halbach had three hits for the Vikings, while Zoe Kinakin finished with two hits.
Marietta plays Roanoke College and Wittenberg University on Monday (March 7). First pitch against Roanoke is set for 11:45 a.m. with the Wittenberg game following at 2 p.m.
Fans can follow all of 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.
