Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The John Carroll women's softball team proved that it can thrive in tight situations on the road, winning consective games against a talented Marietta team by scores of 3-0 and 6-5 on Saturday.

With the sweep of Marietta on the road, the Blue Streaks (22-8, 11-3 OAC) surpassed the Pioneers (20-12, 10-4 OAC) to take over sole possession of second place in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

The early contest featured yet another brilliant pitching performance from sophomore Rachel Byrnes, who blanked the Pioneers in a three-hitter while striking out five to complete her 10th shutout of 2013.

Morgan Robinson led off the top of the second inning with a single and was sacrificed into scoring position by Michaela Mackey.  Then, Ashlee Unrue ripped an RBI single into center field to give the Blue Streaks a 1-0 lead and enough offense for Byrnes to work with.

JCU pounded out 12 hits in the contest, adding a pair of runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by Mackenzie Griffin and an RBI double off the bat of Colleen Brady.

Griffin went 3-4 in the game, while Brady, Sam Becker, and Ally Kleinhans compiled two hits apiece.

In the 3:30 outing, the Blue & Gold trailed 1-0 in the third when Griffin recorded a one-out single.  After Kleinhans doubled her in to tie the score, Robinson, Mackey, and Lia Locey delivered three consecutive RBI hits to put a four-spot on the board.

Marietta battled back, scoring three in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score.  But John Carroll would waste little time delivering a counter punch.  Continuing her torrid offensive season, Griffin uncorked a two-run home run to regain the lead for the visitors at 6-4.  

Things got dicey again when the Pioneers' Trayla Liles hit an RBI single to draw within one, but Gina Tosti (who relieved Byrnes in the fifth) was able to work out of the jam.

Tosti threw a 1-2-3 seventh inning to finish the game and help the Streaks complete the sweep.