Marietta closes Abilene Classic with 14-4 loss to host McMurry
Pioneers now travel to Fort Worth for doubleheader with Texas Wesleyan on Friday

March 12, 2008
ABILENE, Texas — The Marietta College baseball team closed out the Abilene Classic with another tough loss, as host McMurry University fought back from a 4-1 deficit to win 14-4 over the Pioneers, who fell to 2-7 on the season. McMurry improved to 12-7.

Things started well for the Etta Express, as junior Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) limited McMurry to just one unearned run on three hits through five innings. He worked around four walks, struck out one, and left with Marietta leading 4-1.

The Pioneers struck for three in the third. Senior Tony Piconke (Clinton Township, Mich./Clintondale) and freshman Chris Dowdell (North Ridgeville/Walsh Jesuit) both picked up RBI in the innings, which featured four Marietta hits.

McMurry scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the frame to make the score 3-1, but Marietta got that run back when junior Josh Spicer (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) singled home sophomore Mark Lakas (Westerville/Mason), who opened the frame by reaching on an error.

The lead would only last until the sixth, as McMurry plated four in the sixth, four in the seventh and five in the eight en route to the 14-4 victory.

Sophomore Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings. Sean Mahley (Cambridge) pitched the final 1 2/3, giving up five runs on five hits.

Mahley and junior Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) both had a pair of hits for the Pioneers, who finished with 11 in the game. McMurry’s first four hitters all had two hits, while Lance Jones went 3-for-4 in the win. It finished with 15 hits overall and each team made one error.

Marietta will take a day off before taking on Texas Wesleyan in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. The action can be heard live in Marietta on WMOA-AM 1490 and over the Internet at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.