Faulkner's three home runs and two-hitter leads Marietta to a sweep of Wooster
Pioneers defeat Fighting Scots 5-1 and 9-1 in non conference doubleheader

March 25, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — Junior Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg) had a day to remember Tuesday (March 25) afternoon as she led the Marietta College softball team to a pair of victories over visiting College of Wooster at Marietta Field. Faulkner threw a complete game two-hitter and slugged a two-run homer in the opener, a 5-1 victory for the Pioneers. She then drilled two more home runs in a 9-1 win for her team in the nightcap. Marietta improved to 10-4, while Wooster fell to 9-7.

The Pioneers out hit the Fighting Scots 8-2 and each team had an error in the first game. Marietta then out hit Wooster, who had the only error, 14-5 in the second game.

Senior Brandy Jacob (Wellington/Keystone) got Marietta's offense going from the start with a leadoff single up the middle. Sophomore Katie Woolf (Louisville) and freshman Cassady Busellato (Hilliard/Hilliard Davidson) had back-to-back RBI doubles to right center later in the frame to give Marietta a 2-0 advantage.

Faulkner added to the lead with a two-run homer, just inside the right foul pole, in the third. Jacob, who reached on an error to begin the inning, scored on the play. Junior Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire), who finished 2-for-3, extended the lead to 5-0 with a leadoff home run to left field in the fourth.

Faulkner held Wooster hitless until the sixth, when Kate Kiley reached on a bunt single with one out. Kim Skully later singled to right field to drive in Kiley for the Fighting Scots only run of the game.

Faulkner, who improved to 6-2, allowed just the two hits. She walked one and struck out six. Andrea Kelley (5-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits in four innings.

Wooster held the early lead in the nightcap after scoring a run on three hits in the first inning off Pioneer freshman Amanda Strong. Strong, however, allowed just two hits the rest of the way. She walked three and struck out five while improving to 4-0 on the season.

The 1-0 lead lasted until the third, when Marietta scored three runs to take control of the game. Jacob and junior Emily McComb (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley) opened with singles before Faulkner launched a three-run homer to straight center field.

McComb added RBI double and Faulkner a two-run home run in the fourth to boost the Pioneers' lead to 6-1. A triple down the right field line by sophomore Maggie Daubenmire (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) drove in Driscoll for Marietta's seventh run. The Pioneers completed their scoring in the sixth. Freshman Constance Whalen (Sharon, Pa.) doubled and scored on a single by freshman Sarah Gruner (Gibsonburg). Gruner then scored the final run on a single by classmate Kristen Tidd (Marietta/Frontier).

McComb finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Faulkner was 2-for-2 with the two home runs and five RBI. She became just the fourth Pioneer to hit two homers in a game. Jacob and Daubenmire also had two hits in the win. Skully and Katelyn Caywood both had a pair of hits for Wooster.

Marietta now turns its attention to the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). The Pioneers open OAC play at home on Saturday (March 29) afternoon against Otterbein College. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.