Lady Pioneers split doubleheader with Wooster

Mar. 31, 2005
WOOSTER, Ohio - Head Coach Jeanne Arbuckle would have been happy just to play. Instead, she got one of the Lady Pioneers' best offensive performances in recent years, resulting in a doubleheader split with Wooster.

"These were two great games," said Arbuckle. "I wasn't sure how the players would react after not playing in 12 days, but they came out and really played well."

Marietta (6-11) put together an offensive onslaught in the second inning of the first game, scoring eight runs on five hits, and sophomore Kristen Quintana (Denver, CO/Littleton) shutdown the Fighting Scots' offense, resulting in an 8-0 five-inning victory for the Lady Pioneers.

Jenny Carroll (Lisbon/Beaver Local) was hit by a pitch and stole second to begin the second frame. Junior Sue Schwamberger (Covington) drove Carroll home with a double to put Marietta ahead 1-0. Schwamberger then scored on a hit by sophomore Abby Higbie (Anchorage, AK/Service).

Higbie scored the Pioneers' third run when senior Katie Moriarty (North Canton/Hoover) delivered a two-out single through the left side. The two-out rally continued with a bases loaded walk by freshman Nicole Veigel (Canton/South), a one-run single by Carroll and a two-run single by Schwamberger, her second hit of the inning.

Quintana (6-4) faced just 18 batters in five innings to pick up her sixth win of the spring. The sophomore scattered one hit, walked two and struck out seven in the shutout victory. It was the first time Marietta shutout its opponent this year.

Natalie Barone took the loss, allowing eight runs on eight hits in five innings.

The Lady Pioneers had their opportunities two leave with a sweep, but Wooster's Barone was able to get out of a no-out jam in the seventh inning to preserve a 4-3 win for Wooster.

The Fighting Scots (8-8) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the night cap and scored four runs in the first three innings off Marietta's Stephanie Houston (Newark/Licking Valley).

The Lady Pioneers plated two runs of their own in the third. Sophomore Lindsey Romick (Hannibal/River) led off with a double and Moriarty followed with a single; Carroll's sacrifice fly scored Romick and a Schwamberger single plated Moriarty.

Trailing 4-2 in the top of the seventh, Romick and Moriarty once again double and singled to lead off the inning, respectively. A passed ball scored Romick and moved Moriarty to third base with no outs. The Pioneers, however, could not get the game-tying run in from third and lost 4-3.

Marietta out hit Wooster 11 to five in the night cap. Moriarty finished game two 4-for-4 and went 5-for-7 on the day. Schwamberger had two hits and three RBI in the first game and Romick went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the second contest.

Houston (0-1) allowed four runs on four hits and fanned four in 4.0 innings of work in game two. Quintana relived Houston and pitched the final 2.0 innings. She allowed just one hit and walked one batter. Barone improved to 8-5 after pitching all 12 innings of the doubleheader.

Marietta will look to keep its offense going as it opens Ohio Athletic Conference play Saturday (Apr. 2) against Ohio Northern. First pitch of the doubleheader with the Polar Bears at Hadley Field is slated for 1 p.m.