Written by: Zachary Worstell (zdw001@marietta.edu)
After missing the OAC playoffs last season, the Marietta College Pioneers look to clinch this season. Currently the Pios are 21-17 overall and 6-8 in the conference and must past Heidelberg (7-7) to make the postseason.
Each team has one conference series left with Heidelberg playing Ohio Northern (3-11) at home and Marietta facing Wilmington (6-8) at home on May 2nd. Wilmington also looks to clinch the postseason with a sweep over Marietta.
This past month of April started out with a shutout win for the Lady Pios as they defeated Heidelberg University on the road 7-0. Senior Aiyana Hancock allowed one hit in the win over the Student Princes. Heidelberg came back in game two with a five-run 3rd inning resulting in a Pioneer 8-3 loss.
Next up on the plate was the #25 ranked Muskingum University. The Pios and the Muskies traded leads early with Marietta up 2-1 before Musky drove in five runs in the bottom of the 3rd. Marietta mounted a comeback in the 5th but only scored three to end the game 6-5 for a Pioneer loss.
Game two was much of the same with the teams trading leads early on, but this time Marietta scored five. This time it was in the sixth for the Pios to reclaim the lead 6-3. The blue and white added two more the next inning to increase their lead to 8-3. Unfortunately, a few walks and a pair of doubles in the bottom of the 7th allowed Musky to tie the game 8-8. Thus the game went into extras where they battled all the way into the 10th. There Muskingum finally scored off one hit to beat the Pios 9-8.
After a crushing sweep versus Muskingum, the Pioneers looked to bounce back in their Morgan’s Message game against Ohio Wesleyan University. And bounce back they did. Game one ended in mercy as Marietta steamrolled Wesleyan 14-2. Game two the Pios nearly mercyed the Bishops as they won 10-3.
After two huge home wins, the Pios traveled to face Penn State Behrend. In game one Behrend got an early 2-0 lead off a Sac fly and a Sac bunt. Liz White brought Mallory Gorgacz home in the 6th to close the gap 2-1. After Marietta shutout the Lions in the bottom of the 6th, Marietta looked to comeback and win in the 7th. The Pios looked good with a walk and two singles to load the bases. However they were not able to capitalize with three straight outs to lose game one 2-1.
Game two Marietta lit up the Lions with eleven hits. Candace Walters pitched a complete game for a 7-1 victory.
Back home versus the OAC for Community Day, Marietta got an impressive win over Baldwin Wallace. Etta scored 13 runs off 16 hits for a 13-5 win in 6 innings. BW did not take that loss lightly as they struck back with four homers early in game two. This led them to a 10-0 lead by the 4th. Marietta responded with 2 home runs of their own to make it 10-6. Five more hits by the Pios gave them five more runs to take the lead 11-10. The Yellowjackets later tied the game before Marietta added 2 more runs off a pair of doubles, 13-11. Unfortunately four straight hits in the bottom of the 7th led to BW taking the lead at the end 14-13.
Next up Marietta played the #13 Mount Union. On the road the Pios were swept as the Purple Raiders beat the Pioneers 8-0 then 6-1.
Versus Capital, Marietta picked up a 5-1 win with some late home runs. In game two Marietta did not let off the gas as they scored seven runs off of six hits in the 2nd inning. They increased their lead all the way to 11-1 by the 4th. However, late in the game Capital closed the gap 11-10. Fortunately five hits drove in four runs in the 7th for the Pios to sweep the Comets 15-10.
Most recently Marietta split their final road series of the season, that being versus Hiram College. Game one came down to the final inning as they were all tied up 3-3. Marietta drove in two off of a double and sac fly, but Hiram scored three from four hits to win 6-5. Marietta kept the lead for the majority of game two as they ultimately won 9-7. This puts the Pioneers at 21-17 this season.
Marietta just has Wilmington left to play before the OAC playoffs begin. They play the Quakers on May 2nd starting at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the gate of Jeanne Arbuckle Field and at https://pioneers.marietta.edu/sports/2020/10/12/online-ticketing.aspx.
