Kazmirski leads Softball to regular season finale sweep of John Carroll; Castle gets 100th career win
MARIETTA, Ohio — The Marietta College softball team swept their regular season home finale against John Carroll University on Friday (April 21) afternoon. The Pioneers built a big lead in game one but had to withstand a late rally to win, 5-3. In game two, the Pioneers got a grand slam from
Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) to cruise to victory, 6-2.
The Pioneers move to 20-10 overall and 10-4 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. John Carroll is now 14-14 on the season and 4-10 in the OAC. With the game two victory, Head Softball Coach
Jenn Castle secured her 100th career victory with the Pioneers
In the first game of the afternoon, Marietta took a perfect game into the sixth inning. Kazmirski got the start for the Pioneers and worked three perfect innings, retiring every Blue Streak hitter on a ground out.
Amelia Timko (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) came in to pitch in the fourth inning and pitched three innings of shutout ball. In the sixth inning, John Carroll got an infield hit from Elaina Rodriguez to break up the perfect game, but Timko got a strikeout and a pop up to get out of the inning.
The Pioneers scored most of their offense in the second inning.
Haylee Mott (Kinsman, Ohio/Badger) got on base with an infield hit and scored on a
Jillian Strecansky (Columbiana, Ohio/South Range) single.
Taylor Watts (Galloway, Ohio/West Jefferson) singled home Strecansky and ended up on third after a single from
Camryn Campbell (Mansfield, Ohio/Lexington). Kazmirski then hammered a double to left center, plating Watts and Campbell and giving Marietta a four-run lead.
Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) hit an opposite field home run in the sixth to give a little insurance going into the final inning.
John Carroll made it very interesting in the seventh as they were finally able to get some baserunners.
Sarah Keating (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) came in to relieve for Marietta and gave up a leadoff single.
Jillian Middleton (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) was called on to face the next batter and gave up a single. The Blue Streaks were able to finally get on the board as Alyssia Carmichael scored on a Melissa Smith groundout, but they were now down to their last out. The next four Blue Streak batters reached base safely resulting in two more runs, the final run coming from Lexie Genovece's RBI single, putting the score at 5-3. Kazmirski was put back in the circle and struck out Bella Carcioppolo to end the game.
Timko (4-2) was credited with the win, working those three scoreless innings of relief and striking out two. Kazmirski earned her third save of the season working a total of 3.1 innings, walking one and striking out one.
Danielle Orendi (5-7) went the distance for JCU. She allowed five runs on eight hits, striking out five.
In the second game, Marietta built an early lead with a four run third inning. Strecansky walked to lead off the inning.
Taylor Watts (Galloway, Ohio/West Jefferson) and Campbell followed with singles to load the bases. Kazmirski then drilled a shot over the left field fence for a grand slam and the Pioneers were in control.
Kazmirski provided some insurance in the fifth inning with her second homer of the game, this time to center field.
In the sixth inning, JCU scored a run when Carcioppolo led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a Marietta error, and scored on Blue Streak double steal. Later in the inning, Kaylyn Odelli scored on a wild pitch to the cut the Pioneer lead to 5-2.
Breanna Zirkle (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) came in to pitch and retired the next batter to stop the Blue Streak threat.
Marietta answered in the bottom half of the inning when Strecansky doubled home Mott, who singled to lead off the inning.
In addition to the offense she provided on the day, Kazmirski also got the start in game two and worked a scoreless first inning. Keating (1-0) came in to work a perfect second and third inning and was credited with the victory. Middleton worked 2.2 innings and gave up two unearned run on four hits. She walked two and struck out one. Zirkle closed out the game, retiring all four batters she faced.
Breanna Callow (6-5) got the loss for JCU. She pitched 4.2 innings and gave up five runs on six hits. Callow walked two and struck out five. Emily Grave closed out the game for John Carroll, giving up a run on two hits, striking out two.
Marietta will travel to Penn State Behrend Sunday (April 23) for a non-conference doubleheader. Game one starts at 1:00 p.m.
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.
