MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College used one big offensive inning in each game to sweep an Ohio Athletic Conference softball doubleheader from Otterbein University Thursday (April 25) afternoon. The Pioneers won the first game, 13-4 in five innings, and took game two, 9-0 also in five innings. Marietta improves to 14-17 overall and 6-8 in the OAC. Otterbein falls to 13-17 on the season and 7-7 in the OAC.
 
The Pioneers found themselves in a hole in the first game as Otterbein plated four runs in the top of the first inning. The Cardinals got an RBI single from Chloe Clark, an RBI double from Caroline Heller, and a sac fly from Isa Lewis in the inning. Otterbein scored the final run of the frame when Emma Calkins tole home.
 
The Otterbein lead didn't last long. Marietta sent 17 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first scoring 12 runs on 10 hits in the rally. The Pioneers were also aided by two Cardinal errors.
 
Jillian Middleton (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) got the scoring started with a two-run double to center field. Liz White (North Royalton, Ohio/North Royalton) followed with a sac fly and Grace Elliott (Akron, Ohio/Green) tied the game with an RBI single to left field. Jillian Strecansky (Columbiana, Ohio/South Range) smacked a two-run double to left center.
 
Brown, Middleton and Elliott all had RBI singles in their second plate appearances in the inning. Taylor Airy (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) finished off the rally with a two-run single to right field giving Marietta a 12-4 after one innings.
 
Now pitching with an eight-run lead, Middleton (5-5) settled down after a rough first inning and blanked the Cardinals over the next four innings for the win. Middleton pitched 5.0 innings and allowed four runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
 
Riley Hamm (7-8) started and took the loss for Otterbein. She threw 0.1 innings and allowed seven runs, five earned, on four hits with two walks and no strikeouts. Kiley King worked the final 3.2 innings and gave up six runs, one earned, on 10 hits and struck out two.
 
Brown added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth with a double that scored Rachel Kazmirski (Colliers, W.Va./Brooke) making it 13-4.
 
Kazmirski, Brown, Middleton, Grace, Airy, and Camryn Campbell (Ontario, Ohio/Lexington) all had two hits in the game. Kazmirski, Brown, Middleton and Strecansky each had a double.
 
After all of the first inning fireworks in game one, the second game was scoreless through until the bottom of the fourth inning. That's when the Pioneers busted the game open with nine runs. Marietta sent 13 batters to the plate and had eight hits in the frame.
 
White got things rolling with an RBI double. Elliott and Airy each drove in a run with singles and Breanna Zirkle (Pomeroy, Ohio/Meigs) lined an RBI double to left field. Following an RBI single from Adisson Heath (Weston, W.Va./Lewis County), Kazmirski smacked a three-run double to the fence in left center. Middleton plated Kazmirski with a double in the same spot for a 9-0 Pioneer lead.
 
Zirkle (5-5) went the distance in the circle for Marietta working 5.0 innings and allowing just two hits. She struck out one.
 
Maggie McVicker (4-6) took the loss. She allowed five runs on six hits and struck out one. Hamm pitched 1.0 inning and was charged with four runs on four hits.
 
Kazmirski, Middleton, and White each had two hits in the game. Kazmirski, Middleton, White and Zirkle all doubled.
 
Marietta hosts Heidelberg University on Saturday (April 27). The first game starts at 1:00 p.m. with Community Day activities beginning at noon. Admission is free and there will be free t-shirts, food and beverages and plenty of game and promotions for fans to participate in.
 
Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.  Tweet #PioNation