No. 9 Marietta baseball opens 2008 season with a split
Etta Express falls to host Piedmont 6-1 then tops Sewanee 7-2

March 1, 2008
DEMOREST, Georgia — The Marietta College baseball team stepped onto the field for the first time this spring when it opened the 2008 season with a 6-1 loss to host Piedmont College Saturday (March 1) afternoon at Loudermilk Field. The ninth-ranked Pioneers bounced back later in the day with a 7-2 victory over Sewanee: The School of the South (Tenn.) to finish day one 1-1.

In game one, Piedmont sophomore Spencer Shelton held the Pioneers’ bats quiet for most of the day. Meanwhile, the Lions’ offense used a five-run seventh inning to break open a one-run game and allow them to control the game the rest of the way en route to a 6-1 win. Shelton worked 7 2/3 strong innings during which time he limited the Etta Express to one run on three hits. He struck out eight and walked three while improving to 2-0 on the year.

Marietta junior left-hander Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) suffered the loss, working six solid innings. He allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits while striking out five and walking three.

Piedmont, who had an 11-game head start in terms of on-field experience this season, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Andrew Migetz drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He then raced home for the first run of the game following a RBI single up the middle from cleanup hitter Andy House.

The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Lions until the bottom of the seventh when Piedmont added five runs to break open the game and build its lead to 6-0. Back-to-back singles by John Duke and Justin Oates started the frame. Corey Lindsey then reached on an error when he attempted to sacrifice the runners up a base. Junior Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) mishandled the throw from senior Dom Winters (Washington, Pa.), allowing one run to score. Then, Nissley was intentionally walked to load the bases, before Travis Hunt knocked Merryman out of the game with a RBI single through the left side. Junior Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) relieved Merryman and allowed one unearned run on two hits before getting out of the inning with a strikeout.

Marietta finally got on the board in the top of the eighth. Cribbins led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He moved to third on a ground out and scored when freshman Sean Mahley (Cambridge) delivered the two-out RBI single to right field. Tom Dimitroff then relieved Sheldon and finished the game with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He struck out two and walked two.

Overall, Piedmont out-hit Marietta 12-3 in the win, which allowed them to improve to 9-3 overall and 5-1 at home. The Pioneers, who committed the two errors, left six runners on base, while the Lions stranded seven. Four Piedmont players had two hits in the victory.

Junior right-hander T.J. Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton) was then given the ball looking to get the Pioneers on their winning ways in game two of the day, which came against Sewanee: The University of the South. Knowlton came through with seven strong innings, allowing two runs on seven hits while fanning four, to help the Etta Express win 7-2.

Marietta’s bats, which were held quiet during the first game, finally came alive in the second inning of the nightcap. Cameron Cimino (Boardman) led off with a walk and then scored on a double to right center field by sophomore Danny Jones (Lima/Shawnee). Two batters later, Cribbins drew another walk and then Merryman and Mahley followed with back-to-back singles to give the Etta Express a 3-0 advantage.

Senior Tony Piconke (Clinton Township, Mich./Clintondale) added to the lead with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Merryman, who walked, scored on the play to increase Marietta’s lead to 4-0.

A solo home run off the bat of Cimino to start the fifth added to the scoring. Jones followed it up with a single, before Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) was hit by a pitch to force Sewanee starter Greg Bartleski out of the game after just 4-plus innings. Andrew Rowan came in and retired Cribbins on a sacrifice bunt, which moved the runners up to second and third, respectively. Merryman then drove in Jones with a single through the left side. Penwell was caught off third base after Merryman got into a rundown between first and second but Marietta increased its lead to 6-0.

A two-run double from pinch hitter Rascoe Dean in the sixth got the Tigers on the board, but Knowlton induced a ground out to get out of the inning with the Pioneers leading 6-2.

Marietta bounced back with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame to keep the lead at five, 7-2. Piconke was hit by a pitch with one out. He advanced to second on a single by Nick Springer (Guysville/Federal Hocking) and to third when the center fielder bobbled the ball. Cimino then drove in Piconke with a RBI single to right.

Sophomore Nate Eschbaugh (Marietta) worked the final two innings to wrap up the Pioneers’ first win of the season.

Merryman (3-for-3), Cimino (3-for-4), Jones (2-for-4) and Springer (2-for-4) all had big games at the plate for the Etta Express, who totaled 11 hits in the victory. Sewanee finished with 7 hits. Both teams had two errors in the game.

Marietta is back in action Sunday (March 2) when it closes out its weekend trip with a 12 p.m. rematch with host Piedmont. The action can be heard live in Marietta on WMOA-AM 1490 and over the Internet at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.