MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College and Ohio Northern University split an Ohio Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Saturday (Mar. 28) afternoon at Jeanne Arbuckle Field. The Polar Bears won game one, 14-5, while the Pioneers took the second game, 8-7.
 
Marietta is now 10-8 overall and 2-2 in the OAC. Ohio Northern moves to 7-11 on the season and 1-1 in the OAC.
 
Ohio Northern scored eight runs in the middle three innings of the first game and then added dive more runs in the seventh for the victory. Adison Heath launched a solo home run and Liz White (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) had a two run double for the Pioneers.
 
Aiyana Hancock (Marietta, Ohio/Warren Local) (1-2) started and took the loss for Marietta. She gave up eight runs on 11 hits in 4.0 innings. Emma Cozza (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville Broadview Heights) pitched the final 3.0 innings and allowed six runs on eight hits.
 
Avery Neth (3-2) got the win working 5.0 innings. She allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Natalie Gonzalez threw the final 2.0 innings and allowed two runs on two hits.
 
Camryn Campbell (Ontario, Ohio/Lexington) went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. White finished with two hits, including a double, and two runs batted in. 
 
In the second game, Marietta scored all eight of its runs in the first three innings and then held on for the win. The Pioneers put five runs on the board in the bottom of the third.
 
Heath got things started for the Pioneers with an RBI single in the first inning. After giving up two runs to the Polar Bars in the top of the second, White put Marietta back in front with a two-run triple in the home half of the frame.
 
Ohio Northern retook the lead with a pair of runs in their half of the third. But Marietta answered right back with five in the bottom of the inning. Katie Sweeney (Alexandria, N.H./Newfound Regional) lined an RBI double to center and Emilie Johnson (Lucasville, Ohio/Valley) plated the second run with a single up the middle. After scoring a run on a double steal, White finished the rally with a two-run double.
 
The Polar Bears tried to come from behind a third time in the game scoring three runs in the top of the sixth but fell one run short.
 
Kylie Cobb (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda) (2-1) got the win in relief for the Pioneers. Cobb gave up two runs on three hits in 1.0 inning of work. Candace Walters (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy) started and allowed three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings. Hancock worked 2.2 innings and gave up two unearned runs. Cozza picked up her first save of the season retiring all three batters she faced in the seventh.
 
Gonzalez (2-2) took the loss after allowing five runs, only two earned, on four hits in two-thirds of an inning. Brooklyn Osterloh started and pitched 2.0 innings giving up three runs, one earned, on five hits.
 
Six Pioneers had two hits in the game. White had a double, a triple and drove in four runs. Campbell, Heath, Sweeney, Allie Sheen (Tipp City, Ohio/Bethel), and Kenzi Denzer (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) all had two hits.
 
Marietta hosts Kenyon College on Sunday (Mar. 29) for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader.
 
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.