MARIETTA, Ohio — Despite a powerful lineup, the Marietta College softball team had a tough time navigating a difficult schedule in 2024, finishing with a 16-19 record and falling short of making it to the OAC postseason. As the page is turned to this year, Marietta head coach Jenn Castle says the 2025 team will be very different from the teams of the last few seasons.
 
"We are a completely new team this year when it comes to our mindset and game play," Castle said. "We have discussed as a team that this season is a new chapter for Marietta College Softball. The way we have played the game in the past is not how we will play the game this season or in the future. We have new personnel and have coached and strategized with the team we have now, not the team we had the past few seasons."
 
Marietta welcomes back a small, but strong, core of juniors and seniors to provide leadership to a young team. Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) returns for her fifth season. Seniors Taylor Airy (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman), Jordan Cholley (North Canton, Ohio/Glenoak), and Amelia Timko (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick), and junior Camryn Campbell (Ontario, Ohio/Lexington) gives the Pioneers an upperclassman in the circle, the infield and the outfield.
 
Kazmirski led the Ohio Athletic Conference with a .467 batting average and 19 doubles as Marietta's starting first baseman. She was third in the conference with a .771 slugging percentage on the way to earning All-OAC honors for a third time. She was also named NFCA All-Region first team for a second consecutive season. "Having Rachel back for one more season is pretty special," said Castle. "She is ready to face the OAC one last time and end her career on a high note."
 
Cholley returns at second base where she started 28 games a year ago. A plus defender, she fielded .933 in the middle infield while collecting a pair of doubles and eight RBI at the plate.
 
Airy and Campbell are back in the outfield. Airy returns and brings stability to the outfield as well provide some strong numbers offensively.  She batted .322 with six doubles, five stolen bases, and drove in 15 runs last season.  "Taylor has grown as a player each season and finds a new way to contribute each year," said Castle. "She covers a lot of ground in the outfield and brings speed to our lineup."
 
Campbell will look to rebound after an injury-laden sophomore season.  Campbell saw a dip in the numbers that earned her All-OAC First team status her freshman year, but Coach Castle said that Campbell will enter this season fresh and focused and will return to greater success in 2025.  "Cam is coming into this season with a new mindset and ready to play the game more carefree," said Castle. "When Cam gets on base, she is scoring. The team will look for her to set the table for the middle of our line-up."
 
Timko put together a strong season last year and returns to lead a young pitching staff.  Timko appeared in 18 games and collected four victories.  She had a 3.35 earned run average, appearing in 62.2 innings and striking out 28 batters.   "Amelia has been a staple for us on the mound since her freshmen year and she has found a way to improve each season," said Castle. "She will be the leader for a young pitching staff, but she is someone our pitchers can learn a lot from."
 
In addition to Timko, the Pioneers return sophomore Candace Walters (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy) in the circle. Walters was 2-3 with one save and a 5.36 earned run average in her rookie season. Junior transfer Aiyana Hancock (Marietta, Ohio/Warren Local) threw over 100 innings for Wilmington College last spring posting an 11-9 record with one save and a 4.76 ERA.
 
Rounding out the pitching staff will be freshmen Camryn Kieffer, Emilie Johnson (Lucasville, Ohio/Valley), Emma Cozza (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville Broadview Heights) and Jordan Bradford (Wellington, Ohio/Black River).
 
Handling the young pitching staff behind the plate will be sophomore catcher Liz White (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton). White had a strong freshman season splitting time between catcher and the outfield, a role she will again fill this spring. White started 30 games and batted .330 with eight doubles, three triples, and 12 runs batted in. Freshman Katie Sweeney (Alexandria, N.H./Newfound Regional) has a strong bat and will see time behind the plate when White is in the outfield.
 
While Kazmirski is the starter at first base, she could see time in the outfield as well. Sophomore Adisson Heath (Weston, W.Va./Lewis County) and freshman Becca Streets (Buckeye Lake, Ohio/Hebron Lakewood) are both capable of playing first base. Heath hit .231 in limited at bats last year.
 
Streets is the frontrunner to take over at third base for graduated three-year started Jess Brown (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville). Freshman Haley Fordyce can play any of the infield positions and will see time at third and in the middle infield. Sophomore Erin Beeber (Fairfield, Ohio/Badin) will also see time at the hot corner.
 
After Cholley in the middle infield, the Pioneers will look to the freshmen class. Mallory Gorgacz (Edinburg, Pa./Union Area) is the frontrunner for the starting shortstop job. But fellow rookies Johnson and Fordyce will see playing time in the middle infield.
 
Marietta returns its entire outfield from last spring with Airy, Campbell, and sophomores White and Grace Elliott (Akron, Ohio/Green). Elliott batted .317 with 18 runs scored in 32 starts last year. A true utility player, Johnson is also in the mix in the outfield. Sophomore Lily Williams (Tipp City, Ohio/Bethel) and freshmen Violet Ellerbrock (Clinton, Ohio/Canton Central Catholic) and Baylee Comer (Howard, Ohio/East Knox) give the Pioneers plenty of options in the outfield.
 
Marietta was to open the season with a home doubleheader with Denison University, but that was postponed due to rain.  The Pioneers will officially open the season by playing 10 games in Florida for Spring Break.  Their first game is Saturday (Mar. 8) when they will play Rivier University at the Space Coast Complex in Viera, Florida. First pitch is scheduled for 12:15 p.m.
 
"We have a great core of women in this program and the dedication they have is unwavering," concluded Castle. "We have strong leadership from our seniors and juniors, but also have sophomores and freshmen that show up every day and push the upperclassmen. This has allowed strong competition that comes from a place of respect, and they want to get better."
 
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 X and Instagram.