COLUMBUS – Two steals by Jamie Caton and a dazzling scoring performance by Jenna Erwin Wednesday helped the Capital University women's basketball team emerge with a 74-72 victory over Marietta in an Ohio Athletic Conference contest at the Capital Center.

With the game tied at 69-69, the Pioneers (8-8 overall, 2-7 OAC) had the ball near their sideline with 24 seconds to play. Caton (Hilliard, Ohio) stole the inbounds pass, was fouled and knocked down both free throws on the other end to give the Crusaders a 71-69 advantage with 21 seconds on the clock.

Caton, a senior forward, stole the ball again on the ensuing Marietta possession and hit two more free throws to make it a two-possession game with 13 seconds left.

After a 3-pointer by the Pioneers, Erwin hit a free throw and missed the second with one second left to seal the win for Capital (9-6, 6-3).

Erwin, a sophomore forward from Springfield, tallied a career-high 25 points, knocking down 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-8 from 3-point range. Caton totaled 12 points and six rebounds.

Junior guard Shelby Sheets (Fayetteville, Ohio) and sophomore forward Kristen Thompson (Cincinnati, Ohio) posted nine points apiece. Sophomore guard Simonne Gage (Dayton, Ohio) recorded seven points, eight assists and five rebounds. Senior guard Cookie Geroski (Fostoria, Ohio) registered a team-best seven rebounds.

The Crusaders shot 36.7 percent from the floor but knocked down 24-of-32 (75 percent) from the free throw line. The Pioneers made 47.4 percent of their looks. Capital forced 20 turnovers and only committed 10 miscues on the other end. 

In the first half, the Crusaders fought off a slow start, closing the period on a 7-0 run, highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers by Erwin and Sheets, in the final minute to pull to within 30-26. Capital knocked down just two of its first 15 shot attempts and finished the half at 23.5 percent (8-of-34) from the field.

Erwin stayed hot from the floor early in the second, scoring seven of the Crusaders' first nine points as Capital tied the contest at 35-35 with 17:09 on the clock following Erwin's 3-pointer. Marietta scored on the ensuing possession to start a 12-4 run, forcing a Capital timeout with 12:54 left and the score 47-39.

The Crusaders clawed their way back into the affair, posting a 10-2 run to tie the game at 49-49 following a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Simonne Gage (Dayton, Ohio) with 9:00 to play. Erwin gave Capital its first lead of the half moments later, knocking down another 3-pointer with 8:12 on the clock to make give the Crusaders a 52-51 advantage.

The two teams continued to go back and forth before the Pioneers knocked down 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to make it 64-61 with 3:34 on the clock.

Trailing by five, Erwin came through again with another 3-pointer, her fifth of the contest, to make it a one-possesson game. After a Marietta turnover, sophomore forward Kristen Thompson (Cincinnati, Ohio) tied the game at 67-67 at the 1:33 mark.

Capital visits first-place Baldwin Wallace this Saturday to begin the second half of the OAC season. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. in Berea, Ohio.