COLUMBUS – The Capital University softball team closed its 2014 regular season home schedule Friday with a split of two games against John Carroll in an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Clowson Field.

The Crusaders (18-16 overall, 5-11 OAC) fell 6-4 in the first game before taking the second 1-0 in a pitchers' duel.

In the nightcap, freshman pitcher Amber Martinelli (Pittsburgh, Pa.), making just her third appearance of the season and second start, tossed a one-hit, complete-game shutout to pick up the first win of her career.

Martinelli (1-1) faced just two batters over the minimum as a runner reached on an error in the second and the Blue Streaks connected on a two-out single in the top of the fourth. She struck out four batters and forced 11 groundouts in the contest.

Freshman designated player Marisa Koss (Ostrander, Ohio) provided all the offense Capital would need in the bottom of the third. After a two-out single by sophomore second baseman Brooklyn Staten (Grove City, Ohio) put runners at the corners, Koss swatted a single to left center to plate sophomore shortstop Therese Becker (South Euclid, Ohio).

The Crusaders finished with four hits in the contest. Junior first baseman Maura Rose (Williamsport, Pa.) and sophomore third baseman Katlyn Simpson (Loudonville, Ohio) provided the other Capital hits in the affair.

In the opener, John Carroll (15-15, 8-8) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth and took the lead for good in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run.

Capital fought back with one run each in the bottom of the sixth and bottom of the seventh. The Crusaders brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh after a one-out double by Koss plated Simpson and a single by sophomore catcher Sarah Nist (North Canton, Ohio) put runners at the corners, but the Blue Streaks escaped the jam.

Junior centerfielder Kelsey Swain (Pickerington, Ohio) led the offense with three hits, two runs scored and a run batted in. Nist and Koss also tallied three hits apiece, while Rose knocked in a run with a single through the left side in the fifth.

The two teams combined to leave 21 runners on base.

Junior Brooke Billings (Clyde, Ohio) took the loss on the mound to drop to 7-9 for the year. She pitched the first five frames before being relieved by junior Alyssa Patznick (Newark, Ohio) to start the sixth.

Capital resumes play Monday following the Easter break at Kenyon. First pitch in Gambier, Ohio, is slated for 3:30 p.m.