Marietta softball opens OAC play with two wins at Wilmington

Apr. 5, 2005
WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Marietta College softball team opened Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action Tuesday (Apr. 5) with two decisive wins over host Wilmington. The Lady Pioneers (8-11, 2-0 OAC) used an eight-run third inning to take the first game 12-4 and then made it a sweep by winning the second contest 10-4.

Sophomore Kristen Quintana (Denver, CO/Littleton) rebounded from a shaky first inning, in which she allowed three runs, to shutdown the Quakers (1-18, 1-3 OAC) over the next four innings. Quintana allowed seven hits, walked four and fanned five in route to her seventh win in 11 decisions this spring.

Marietta, erased the 3-0 deficit with an eight-run third inning, which saw the Lady Pioneers send 12 hitters to the plate and total seven hits in the frame.

After Wilmington scored a run in the fourth, Marietta put the game out of reach an inning later with four more runs, resulting in a 12-4 victory for the Lady Pioneers.

Senior Katie Moriarty (North Canton/Hoover) finished game one 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI. Lindsey Romick (Hannibal/River) added two hits in three at-bats, while freshman Brandy Jacob (Wellington/Keystone), Sue Schwamberger (Covington) and Mindi Littleton (Hopedale/Indian Creek) each added two hits and drove in at least one run in the win.

Junior Stephanie Houston (Newark/Licking Valley) picked up her first win of the year in the nightcap, as she allowed four runs on five hits in 4.0 innings of work before Quintana returned to secure the 10-4 win, earning her first save of the spring.

Marietta took a 2-0 lead in the first frame, only for the Quakers to regain the lead 3-2 after a three-run second.

Romick's leadoff home run in the third tied the game and Marietta added three more in the inning to take the lead for good. Sophomore Kelly Rucker (Rocky River) had the other big hit, a two-run double with two outs.

The Lady Pioneers bats continued to stay hot, scoring two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to bring the final score to 10-4. Marietta finished with 13 hits in the game, while Wilmington totaled just five.

Romick went 4-for-4 with a home run, Moriarty added three hits and sophomore Jenny Carroll (Lisbon/Beaver Local) had two hits in the victory.

Marietta will look to keep the momentum going when it plays host to Mount Union Wednesday (Apr. 6). The Lady Pioneers' home opener will begin at 3:30 p.m.