WILMINGTON, Ohio — Marietta College took to the road and swept an Ohio Athletic Conference softball doubleheader from Wilmington College Tuesday (April 12) afternoon. The Pioneers took the first game by the score of 6-2 and then posted a 9-1 win in five innings in the second game.
Marietta improves to 11-13 overall and 5-3 in the OAC. Wilmington falls to 9-9 on the season and 3-5 in the OAC.
Marietta got the offense rolling in the third inning of game one. when
Taylor Watts (Galloway, Ohio/West Jefferson) walked,
Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) had an infield single and
Taylor Airy (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) singled up the middle to drive in a run.
Jillian Middleton (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) then doubled to left field, to clear the bases to give the Pioneers a 3-0 lead. Wilmington answered in the bottom half of the inning when Lindsey Carter doubled down the left field line, driving in Judaea Wilson.
Paige Adams (Parkersburg, W.Va./Parkersburg South) led off the fourth inning with a single for the Pioneers, and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Watts then reached base on an infield hit. Both runners came home when Kazmirski deposited a pitch over the left field fence to give Marietta a five-run lead. McKenna Archey doubled to left field in the bottom half of the inning to score Rachel Berry but that's all the Quakers could muster.
The Pioneers got an insurance run in the seventh. Kylie Daughtery singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She would eventually score on a
Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) single.
Amelia Timko (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) (2-6) got the start for the Pioneers. She scattered five hits in 4.0 innings of work. She allowed two runs, (one earned) and struck out one. Middleton came on in relief in the fifth inning and shut the door to earn her first save of the year. Middleton pitched three innings, giving up one hit and striking out one
Marietta wasted no time getting on the board in game two. In the first inning, Daugherty doubled to left center and scored when
Emma Burke (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) doubled to center field. Wilmington evened the score in the bottom half with some "small ball" when Wilson walked and promptly stole second. She then advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. That was the extent of the Wilmington attack in game two.
The Pioneers broke out for a big fourth inning.
Haylee Mott (Kinsman, Ohio/Badger) singled and Watts and Kazmirski walked to load the bases. Daughtery and Adams would draw walks to plate some runs.
Anna Swierczewski's (Natrona Heights, Pa./Saint Joseph) sacrifice fly would give Marietta a five-run lead.
Marietta would score three more in the top half of the fifth. Daughtery had an RBI-double and Middleton helped her own cause with a two-run double to right center. Although Wilmington had two 2-out singles in the bottom of the fifth, they could not manufacture a run and the Pioneers would gain the victory.
Middleton (9-5) went the distance in game two to earn the victory. She worked 5.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits and striking out three
Marietta hosts Muskingum Wednesday (April 13) afternoon. The OAC doubleheader starts at 3:00 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.
