The 2017 John Carroll University softball season ended on Sunday afternoon, but not before the Blue Streaks put together one last win.
Carly Simecek hit a go-ahead solo home run in the top of the seventh inning in game two, leading John Carroll to a 4-3 victory and snapping a nine-game losing streak.
The Blue and Gold conclude the season with a 18-20 record, and a 8-10 record in Ohio Athletic Conference play. Simecek's home run in her final career at-bat gave her 25 for her career, surpassing Samantha Becker (2011-14) and leaving her second in program history.
Game One - Marietta 9, John Carroll 0 (5)
Marietta scored four in the first inning and eventually took a 9-0 decision in game one.
Lauren Cianciolo,
Jessica Cook,
Victoria Eder, and
Hannah Mizener each had a base hit.
AnnMarie Kirchner (L, 5-7) allowed eight runs, two of which were earned. Her career concludes with a 23-21 record and 154 strikeouts.
The Pioneers scored two in the second, one in the third, and two in the fourth. John Carroll was unable to score in the fifth, and the game ended in the top half of the inning.
Game Two - John Carroll 4, Marietta 3
The Blue Streaks came back from a 3-2 deficit, scoring a run in the sixth and the go-ahead run in the seventh.
Simecek ended the game going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
Lindsay McKnight,
Miranda Noday, and
Angie Zappitelli each had a pair of hits.
Brianna Lach started the game for JCU, allowing two earned runs in 4.1 innings of pitching. Her final outing as a Blue Streak ended with just five hits allowed and two strikeouts.
Kelly Geringer (W, 6-3) capped off her inaugural campaign in blue and gold with 2.2 innings of work, allowing just two baserunners.
John Carroll opened the scoring in the top of the fifth after
Hannah Mizener scored Noday with an RBI double. Mizener would come around to score after a Simecek single up the middle.
Marietta quickly answered with three runs in the next frame. Noday made her mark once again, leveling the score at three with a single to left field that scored Zappitelli. In the next inning, Simecek came up with one out, and rocked a 0-1 pitch to left field that put JCU ahead for good.
Geringer walked the second batter, then slammed the door following a single that put the winning run on first.
John Carroll ends the season today, as the loss eliminated the team from Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament play. The Blue and Gold return to the field in 2018.
