WINTER HAVEN, Florida — Marietta College opened the 2023 season at The Spring Games on Sunday (March 5). The Pioneers fell to Nebraska Wesleyan, 9-1 in five innings, and lost to Wentworth Tech, 6-5.
Nebraska Wesleyan (4-1 overall) jumped on top with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Prairie Wolves added six more in the second for an early 9-0 lead.
Marietta got on the board with a run in the fourth.
Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) led off with an infield single and was lifted for pinch runner
Jordan Cholley (North Canton, Ohio/Glenoak).
Jillian Middleton (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) followed with a double moving Cholley to third.
Taylor Airy (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) drove in Cholley with a groundout to the second baseman.
Kazmirski (0-1) was tagged with the loss in the circle. She started and worked 1.0 inning and allowed five runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Breanna Zirkle (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) gave up four runs on four hits before
Sarah Keating (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) came in to close the door. Keating threw 3.0 innings of shutout relief.
Elise Warneke (3-1) started and got the win for the Prairie Wolves. She did not allow a run on just two hits and struck out three in 3.0 innings of work. Kenna Ford pitched the final 2.0 innings and gave up one run on three hits.
Kazmirski led the Pioneer offense with a pair of base hits. Middleton was 1-for-2 with a double.
In game two, the Pioneers found themselves in an early deficit as well. Wentworth scored five runs in the first three innings for a 5-0 lead.
Haylee Mott (Kinsman, Ohio/Badger) had an RBI single in the fourth to get Marietta on the board. The Pioneers added another run in the fifth when
Shelby Metzger (Beavercreek Township, Ohio/Beavercreek) led off with a single, went to second on a wild pitch and moved over to third on a ground out. Another wild pitch allowed her to score cutting the Wentworth lead to 5-2.
The Leopards got one run back in the seventh and headed into the bottom of the frame with a 6-2 lead.
Marietta refused to go away quietly as Metzger led off with another single and moved to third base on a pair of ground outs.
Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) reached on an error that allowed Metzger to score. Kazmirski followed with a two-run blast to center field making it 6-5. Cholley lined out to end the game.
Erin Hancock (1-0) got the win after allowing two runs on four hits in 5.0 innings. She walked three and struck out four. Julie Schriver notched her first save throwing the final 2.0 innings. She was charged with three unearned runs on two hits.
Middleton (0-1) started in the circle for the Pioneers and took the loss. She was charged with five runs, three earned, on three hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
Amelia Timko (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) worked 3.2 innings and allowed one run on four hits. Cholley retired the only batter she faced.
Metzger was the lone Pioneer with two hits, while Kazmirski had two runs batted in on the home run.
Marietta plays Penn State Berks and Massachusetts Dartmouth on Monday (March 6). First pitch against Penn State is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. with the second game slated for 2:00 p.m.
Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
