No. 3 Muskingum knocks off No. 13 Marietta 3-1 in finals of OAC Softball Tournament
Pioneers now waiting on at-large bid to NCAA Tournament

May. 6, 2006
NEW CONCORD, Ohio — The No. 13 Marietta College softball team historical season may have come to an end Saturday (May 6), as the Pioneers fell to No. 3 Muskingum 3-1 in the finals of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament. Marietta advanced to the finals with an 8-6 win over Mount Union earlier in the day.

The Pioneers, who now stand at 33-11, will have to wait to see if their season will be extended. The NCAA Division III selection committee is scheduled to announce the regional at-large bids Sunday.

Marietta fell victim to missed opportunities in the championship game, as it left 10 runners on base in the 3-1 loss to top-seeded Muskingum (39-4). The Muskies clinched the automatic berth to postseason play by winning the regular season and making it to the finals.

Junior Kristen Quintana (Denver, Colo./Littleton) continued her marathon on the mound Saturday, pitching all 14 innings. Against Muskingum, Quintana (20-6) allowed three runs on six hits and fanned three.

The Pioneers managed five hits off Muskingum pitchers. Junior Jenny Carroll (Lisbon/Beaver Local) went 2-for-4 in the game.

Marietta left the bases loaded in the first inning, while Muskingum was able to plate a pair of runs in its half of the opening frame. Kari Hoying drove in both runs with a home run, her 11th of the spring.

The Pioneers loaded the bases again in the fifth. Junior Lindsey Romick (Hannibal/River) was then hit by a pitch, allowing pinch runner Cortney Reid (Canton/McKinley) to score and make the score 2-1 in favor of the Muskies. Marietta could not get anything else across the board and left the bases loaded again.

Muskingum added an insurance run in the sixth when Lindsay Bramhall homered. It was her first of the year.

Marietta got two runners on base in the top of the seventh but the threat ended with a strikeout and Muskingum claimed its ninth straight OAC Tournament title.

Earlier in the day, Marietta jumped out to a 8-2 lead against Mount Union and then survived a four-run, seventh-inning rally to advance to eliminate the Purple Raiders with an 8-6 victory.

Freshman Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire) jump-started the Pioneers' offense with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning.

Mount Union pulled within a run, 3-2, by scoring a pair of runs in their half of the first of Quintana.

Marietta extended its lead to 7-2 with a four-run third. Romick and freshman Christina DeMoss (Bellville/Clear Fork) had a RBI singles, while junior Jessy Hutchison (Reynoldsburg) had a RBI double in the inning.

The Pioneers added their final run in the fifth, when senior Stephanie Houston (Newark/Licking Valley) drove home Reid with fielder's choice.

The Raiders tried to mount a comeback in the final inning and scored four runs, but Quintana settled down to get the final out and advance Marietta to the finals.

Mount Union out hit Marietta 14-12 in the game. Freshman Emily McComb (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley), Romick, Driscoll and DeMoss all had two hits in the victory.

Quintana allowed six runs (five earned) on 14 hits and struck out six to get the win, her 20th of the season.

Quintana, Houston and Romick were all named to the OAC All-Tournament team for their efforts this weekend. The All-OAC teams will be announced Sunday morning.