ERIE, Pennsylvania — The Marietta College softball team split a nonconference doubleheader at Penn State Behrend Sunday (Apr. 12) afternoon. The Lions won game one, 2-1, and Marietta took the second game, 7-1. Marietta is now 17-13 on the season, while Behrend moves to 16-8 overall.
Behrend took a 2-0 lead in the first game scoring runs in the first and third innings. The Lions got a pair of walks to start the bottom of the first. A base hit bunt from Julia Jones loaded the bases and then a sac fly Meghan Swain plated Alexia Brown with the first run of the game.
The Lions got a leadoff single from Chloe Nale in the third. Jones doubled moving Nale to third. A sac bunt from Hannah Smith scored Nale for a 2-0 Behrend lead.
Marietta cut the lead in half with a run in the sixth.
Mallory Gorgacz (Edinburg, Pa./Union Area) and
Camryn Campbell (Ontario, Ohio/Lexington) both singled and moved to second and third on a wild pitch.
Liz White (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) drove in Gorgacz with a ground ball in the infield,
The Pioneers loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with no outs but couldn't push the tying run across.
Abby Tingley (6-3) went the distance in the circle for Behrend. She allowed one run on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts in 7.0 innings.
Aiyana Hancock (Marietta, Ohio/Warren Local) (4-4) started and took the loss giving up two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings. Hancock walked five and struck out five.
Campbell, Adisson heath, and
Grace Elliott (Akron, Ohio/Green) each had two hits in the game for the Pioneers.
Marietta broke a scoreless tie in game two with five runs in the top of the third inning. White got things started with an RBI single.
Becca Streets (Buckeye Lake, Ohio/Hebron Lakewood) followed with a run-scoring single to make it 2-0. Heath delivered a big three-run home run for a 5-0 Pioneer lead.
Allie Sheen (Tipp City, Ohio/Bethel) made it 6-0 with an RBI single in the fourth. Behrend plated its lone run in the bottom of the frame. Streets picked up another Rbi with a single in the fifth for a 7-1 Marietta lead.
Candace Walters (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy) (7-4) went the distance in the circle for Marietta scattering four hits and allowing just one run. Julia Jones (5-3) started and got the loss for Behrend. She was charged with five runs on five hits in 2.0 innings of work.
White finished 3-for-4 to lead the Pioneer offense. Streets, Heath, and Elliott had two hits apiece.
Marietta returns home to host Baldwin Wallace University on Saturday (Apr. 18). The first game starts at 1:00 p.m. It will be the annual Community Day at the park featuring free admission, free food and several give aways and games. Jeanne Arbuckle Field will be officially dedicated in a ceremony starting at 12:15 p.m. prior to the first game.
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.