No. 16 Marietta swept by visiting No. 20 Muskingum in OAC softball doubleheader
Lady Pioneers leave 17 runners on base on the day

Apr. 3, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — "Muskie Tuesday" (Apr. 2) for the Lady Pioneer softball team failed to turn out as planned, as the No. 16 Marietta College softball team was unable to reel in visiting No. 20 Muskingum College in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) doubleheader at Marietta Field. The Pioneers had ample opportunity to win both games, but the nine-time defending OAC Champion Fighting Muskies escaped with 4-3 and 5-4 victories to take control of the OAC standings early in the season.

The pair of wins improved Muskingum's record to 18-6, 4-0 in the OAC. Marietta fell to 17-5, 2-2 in league play.

In the opener, Muskingum took a 1-0 lead in the second frame, when Amy Iammarino singled home Jamie Echelberger, who led off the inning with a single.

Marietta tied the game at 1-1 an inning later, when junior Brandy Jacob (Wellington/Keystone), who finished 3-for-4, started the third with a triple to right field and crossed the plate on a single up the middle by sophomore Emily McComb (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley).

The Muskies came back with three runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 4-1. Kim Tackett had the big hit, a two-run double with two outs. Molly Jones added a RBI single to right earlier in the frame.

In the fifth, Marietta rallied for two runs and threatened to score more. Sophomore Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg) had a RBI single, and freshman Katie Woolf (Louisville) followed with a RBI double, but Faulkner was thrown out at home on the play. As a result, Muskingum was able hold on for 4-3 victory.

Marietta, who out-hit Muskingum 10-6, struggled to produce the key hit and left 10 runners on base in the loss. Neither team had an error in the game.

In addition to Jacob’s three hits, sophomore Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire) finished 2-for-3. Jones led Muskingum’s attack with two hits in three at-bats.

Senior Kristen Quintana (Denver, Colo./Littleton) took the loss, falling to 11-2 on the spring. She allowed four runs on six hits, walked two and struck out six. Amy Mattin improved to 6-4 with the win. She gave up three runs on seven hits while walking four and fanning three. Heather Martin worked the final three innings, scattering three hits and striking out three to earn the save, her first of the year.

After a 30 minute break, the two teams went back at it in the night cap. The Lady Pioneers struck first with a four-run first inning off Martin, who lasted just 1/3 of an inning before being relieved by Jen Klutts. Jacob began the frame with an infield single. McComb advanced her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Senior Jenny Carroll (Lisbon/Beaver Local) followed with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left center field. The home run was her second of the year and gave MC a 2-0 lead. The inning continued when senior Lindsey Romick (Hannibal/River) walked and Driscoll singled. Sophomore Christina DeMoss (Bellville/Clear Fork) then delivered a two-run double down the left field line.

Muskingum used three straight one-out singles off Quintana to score its first run in the second inning, and then Tackett and Kari Hoying drilled home runs to center field in the third to pull the Muskies within a run, 4-3. Hoying tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth with a sacrifice fly.

The Muskies broke the 4-4 tie with a two-out single through the left side by Randi Dance in the top of the seventh. Jones, who drew a one-out walk and move to third on a single by Mallory Hay, scored on the play.

Marietta went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh and Muskingum was able to leave Marietta Field with a 5-4 victory and the sweep.

Both teams collected nine hits and did not make an error in the second game. Carroll and Driscoll both had two hits for Marietta, while Dance had a pair, including the game-winner, for Muskingum. The Pioneers left seven runners on base in the nightcap, making it 17 on the day.

Klutts, who earned the victory to improve to 2-0, kept the Pioneers' offense off the scoreboard and allowed just five hits over the final 6 2/3 innings. Quintana (11-3) lost for the second time on the day after allowing five runs on nine hits. She walked two and struck out two in the nightcap.