Lady Pioneers knock out National Champion Rutgers-Camden, 4-3, to stay alive in NCAA Tournament
Marietta returns to action Saturday against host Methodist at 10 a.m.

May 11, 2007
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The second-seeded Marietta College softball team remained alive in the 2007 NCAA Division III Softball Tournament with a 4-3, eight-inning victory over 2006 National Champion Rutgers-Camden (N.J.) Friday (May 11) afternoon.

The victory was the first NCAA Tournament win in school history and advanced the Lady Pioneers (33-11) into Saturday's (May 12) action against top-seeded Methodist (N.C.), who fell to Emory (Ga.), 2-1, on Friday. First pitch of that game will be at 10 a.m. The winner will take the field at 4 p.m. and the loser will go home.

Freshman Maggie Daubenmire (Thornville/Lakewood) drew a bases loaded walk with one out in the eighth inning to force in sophomore Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire) with the game-winning run and give Marietta the 3-2 victory.

Rutgers-Camden (31-15) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning off senior Kristen Quintana (Denver, Colo./Littleton). Scarlet Raptors' pitcher Megan Farrell opened the inning with a single and scored from first on a double by Step Skroski.

Marietta answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Christina DeMoss (Bellville/Clear Fork) had a one-out double. Sophomore Courtney Reid (Canton/McKinley), who pinch ran for DeMoss, scored on a double by sophomore Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg) to tie the game. Faulkner advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after a walk to junior Krista Huffman (Woodsfield/Monroe Central), junior Brandy Jacob (Wellington/Keystone) delivered a RBI double to right field. Faulkner scored on the play.

Rutgers-Camden tied the game with a run in the sixth, when Farrell doubled home Kate Braun.

Marietta broke the tie in the eighth. Driscoll opened the final frame with a single up the middle. DeMoss sacrificed Driscoll to second with a bunt. Senior Jessy Hutchison (Reynoldsburg) then walked and Faulkner followed with a single to load the bases and set the table for Daubenmire, who walked on four pitches to end the game.

Quintana, who improved to 22-8, allowed two runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out nine in eight innings. Farrell, who finished the year 13-7, gave up three runs on 11 hits, walked four and fanned five.

Senior Jenny Carroll (Lisbon/Beaver Local) finished 3-for-3 with a double, and Faulkner was 3-for-4 with two doubles. Jacob, the school's single-season hit leader, added two hits in four at-bats.

Farrell and Mo Baney had two hits in the loss for Rutgers-Camden.

Saturday's action will be carried locally on WMOA-AM 1490 and online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html. Chris Wharff and Sports Information Director Dan May will bring you pitch-by-pitch, beginning at 9:50 a.m.