Marietta sweeps Wilmington 1-0 and 5-0 on Community Softball Day
Faulkner and Strong both throw complete game shutouts

April 23, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — The Marietta College softball team successfully completed a doubleheader sweep of visiting Wilmington College on Wednesday (April 23) afternoon at Marietta Field. The Lady Pioneers treated the capacity crowd on hand for Softball Community Day to two shutouts of the Quakers, winning game one 1-0 and taking the nightcap 5-0. The wins improved Marietta’s record to 19-11 overall and 9-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Wilmington fell to 9-27 overall and 2-14 in the OAC.

The sweep also keeps the Pioneers’ chances alive for an OAC Tournament berth. The Pioneers will need to sweep visiting John Carroll University on Saturday (April 26) and then hope that Ohio Northern University can sweep Capital University. That scenario will enable the Pioneers to secure the No. 4 seed in the OAC Tournament which will be played May 2-3 at No. 1 seed Muskingum College.

Junior Erin Faulkner (Wheelersburg) took care of business both defensively and offensively in the game-one victory. Faulkner (12-6) allowed no runs on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk in the complete-game victory. She helped her own cause by belting a home run to straight-away center field in the second inning, providing the only run of the ball game. The home run was Faulkner’s fifth on the season.

Junior Emily McComb (Gnadenhutten/Indian Valley) added two hits in game one, which saw both teams collect four hits and Wilmington make the only error.

Freshman Amanda Strong (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) picked up where Faulkner left off in game two, as she also pitched a complete-game shutout to earn the victory. Strong (7-3) allowed only two hits and struck out seven in the win.

The Pioneers did all of their damage offensively in the second inning, plating five runs in the stanza. Junior Nikki Driscoll (Bellaire) singled to left with one out. Freshman Sarah Gruner (Gibsonburg) singled to move Driscoll to second, and Krista Huffman (Woodsfield/Monroe Central) drew a walk to load the bases. An error by the right fielder allowed Driscoll and Gruner to score. McComb then doubled to left center to bring in two more runs. Sophomore Maggie Daubenmire (Thornville/Lakewood Hebron) singled in McComb to plate the final run of the game.

McComb finished with two hits and two RBI in the nightcap. Daubenmire, who added a RBI, was one of five Pioneers to gather a hit in game two.

The Pioneers host John Carroll for a doubleheader Saturday (April 26) afternoon at 1 p.m. Saturday is Senior Day and Youth Softball Day at Marietta Field.