MARIETTA , Ohio — After dropping a tough matchup 9-4 in the first game, the Marietta College softball team had the lead late in game two against the University of Mount Union, the top team in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Purple Raiders would rally late and take game two, 7-6, completing the sweep on Sunday (April 14) afternoon. Marietta falls to 11-14 overall and 3-5 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Mount Union improves to 21-4 on the season and 6-0 in the OAC.
Mount Union got off to a quick start in game one as they touched up Pioneer starter Breanna Zirkle (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) for two runs off of four hits in the top of the first. The Pioneers finally got some offense going in the bottom of the third as Liz White (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) and Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) hit back-back doubles, the second plating a run to make the score 2-1. Mount Union added three more runs in the fourth inning. Kyndall Hahn squeezed home a run with a bunt and came around to score on Sydney Mercer's triple. Mercer then scored on a bunt single to give the Raiders a 5-1 advantage.
After Mount Union added yet another run in the fifth inning, Marietta got some offense in the bottom half. Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) blasted an opposite field two-run home run and Grace Elliot produced an RBI single to put the deficit at 6-4. Mount Union scored three more off of Pioneer reliever Candace Walters (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy) in the top half of the seventh and went on to claim a 9-4 game one victory.
Zirkle (3-4) worked one inning and was credited for the loss. She gave up two runs on four hits. Walter pitched 6.0 innings and gave up seven runs, four earned, on five hits.
Kendall Cahill (11-2) went the distance for the Raiders and gave up four runs, all earned, on 11 hits in 7.0 innings. She did not walk a batter and struck out 10.
Kazmirski, White, Elliot, and Jillian Middleton (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) each had two hits in the game for the Pioneers.
After spotting the Raiders three runs, the Pioneers put an explosive fourth inning of game two. Kazmirski and Brown led off the inning with singles and Middleton sent them all home with a colossal three-run shot that got a boost with the winds blowing out. Elliot then reached base on a throwing error and scored after White tripled, giving Marietta their first lead of the afternoon. The Raiders battled back to take the lead in the next inning off of a two-double from Faith Kiko and an RBI single from Lydia Brunner, giving them a 6-4 lead.
The Pioneers found new life in the bottom of the sixth as Shelby Metzger (Beavercreek Township, Ohio/Beavercreek) delivered a two-out, two-run single to tie the game at six. The Raiders loaded the bases in the top half of the seventh and regained the lead with a crucial sacrifice fly from Brunner. Cahill came on in relief in the bottom half of the seventh and shut the door earning her first save of the season.
Amelia Timko started and pitched 2.1 innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Middleton worked 2.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Zirkle (3-5) worked the final 2.0 innings and gave up the go-ahead run to get tagged with the loss.
Brooklyn Schlabaugh got the start for Mount Union and threw 3.0 innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits. Chloe Bird (7-1) tossed 3.0 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and was the pitcher of record when the Raiders reclaim the lead. Cahill worked the final inning to earn the save.
Marietta was to play Hiram College in a doubleheader on Monday, but the had been postponed. The Pioneers will travel to Muskingum University on Wednesday (April 17) for a doubleheader. The first pitch of the first game is scheduled for 3:00 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.
