CLERMONT, Florida — The Marietta College softball team wrapped up play in Florida with a split of two games on Friday (Mar. 8). The Pioneers lost to No. 7 rabked Rowan University, 2-1 in eight innings, and beat Elms College, 9-0 in five innings. Marietta heads home with a 4-5 overall record.
Marietta scored a run in the top if the eighth inning taking a 6-5 lead on Rowan (3-2 overall). Playing the International Tiebreaker rule, the Pioneers started the inning with
Jillian Strecansky (Columbiana, Ohio/South Range) on second base.
Jordan Cholley (North Canton, Ohio/Glenoak) dropped down a sac bunt that Rowan threw away at first base. Strecansky scored on the errant throw.
In the bottom of the inning, the Profs started with Zara McNair at second. She quickly stole third base. Marietta retired the next two batters and was one out away from victory when Liz McCaffery tripled to the wall in left center scoring McNair. The Pioneers intentionally walked Cat Thomas, Rowan's cleanup hitter. However, walks to the next two batters drove in McCaffery with the winning run.
Jillian Middelton took the loss for the Pioneers. He threw two-thirds of an inning and gave up two runs, one earned, on one hit with three walks.
Grace Elliott (Akron, Ohio/Green) started and pitched 1.2 innings and allowed four runs on three hits.
Amelia Timko (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) worked 5.1 strong innings of relief giving up one run on four hits.
Rylee Lutz started for the Profs and threw 3.2 innings allowing four runs on three hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Emily McCutcheon got the win working 4.1 innings and allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in for the Pioneers.
In the second game of the day, Marietta scored three runs in the bottom of the first and added six more in the second to beat Elms (1-6 overall), 9-0.
Liz White (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) led off the first with a single up the middle and moved to second on a wild pitch.
Grace Elliott (Akron, Ohio/Green) reached on an infield single that plated White.
Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) followed with an RBI triple and Middleton delivered an RBI single for a 3-0 lead.
White got things going in the second inning with a one-out walk. Walks to
Adisson Heath (Weston, W.Va./Lewis County) and
Erin Beeber (Fairfield, Ohio/Badin) loaded the bases. Middleton worked another walk driving in White.
Taylor Airy (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) cleared the bases with a double. Cholley followed with a double scoring Airy. Cholley moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single from
Camryn Campbell (Ontario, Ohio/Lexington) making it 9-0.
Candace Walters (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy) started in the circle for Marietta and got the win. She threw 4.0 innings and allowed three hits and struck out one.
Breanna Zirkle (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) pitched 1.0 inning and struck out two.
Kaelyn Zakaitis started and took the loss for Elms. She tossed 3.0 innings and gave up nine runs on seven hits with six walks and four strikeouts.
Airy had a double and drive in three runs for the Pioneers. Cholley had a double, Kazmirski a triple, and Middleton two RBI.
Marietta hosts Alma College in its home opener on Friday (Mar. 15). Game one of the doubleheader is set to start at 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 X and Instagram.
