No. 2 Wooster holds off Marietta rally for 8-7 victory
Cribbins finished 2-for-4 with a home run in loss

March 26, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — The Mideast region’s top two powerhouses renewed their rivalry when Marietta College and the second-ranked College of Wooster met for a non conference battle at Don Schaly Stadium Wednesday (March 26) evening. The Fighting Scots jumped ahead early and then held on as the Pioneers rallied late in an 8-7 victory for visiting Wooster. The win improved the Fighting Scots’ record to 17-1 and extended their win streak to 15 games. The Etta Express fell to 4-10 and snapped a modest two-game win streak at home.

Wooster took a 1-0 lead when Dan Skulina hit a home run to right field against Marietta junior starter Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill). The Fighting Scots added a run in the third on a RBI single by Jake Sankal. A home run by Matt Groezinger to lead off the fifth gave Wooster the first of two runs in the frame. Skulina then moved the score to 6-0 with a two-run homer to left, his second of the game, against sophomore Nate Eschbaugh (Marietta) in the sixth.

Wooster starter Anthony Trapuzzano (two hits) and reliever Matt Barnes (three hits) kept the Etta Express’ hitters off the scoreboard through five innings. Marietta’s bats finally came alive in the bottom of the sixth against All-American Adam Samson. Senior Tony Piconke (Clinton Township, Mich./Clintondale) drew a one-out walk. Junior Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) followed with a single to center, and junior Cam Cimino (Boardman) loaded the bases with another free pass. Senior Dom Winter (Washington, Pa.) then delivered a two-run single through the right side to score Piconke and Merryman. After Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) reached on a fielder’s choice, sophomore Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) plated two more runs with a double down the left field line, making the score 6-4 after six innings.

Wooster responded with two, two-out RBI singles against freshman reliever Casey Levens (Dayton/Centerville) to increase its lead back to four, 8-4, through six and one-half frames.

The Pioneers loaded the bases again in the seventh, this time against Matt DeGrand. A sacrifice fly by Cimino drove in junior Josh Spicer (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland), who opened the frame by reaching on an error. A wild pitch then scored Piconke, bringing Marietta back within a pair, 8-6.

The Fighting Scots answered in the eighth by loading the bases themselves against Levens. Marietta, however, threw two runners out at the plate on the same play, and then junior Chris Stewart (Dublin/Dublin Coffman) replaced Levens and got a strikeout to end the threat without Wooster scoring.

Marietta cut the deficit to one when Cribbins laced a solo shot over the left field fence to leadoff the bottom of the eighth. The Pioneers also got Piconke, the potential tying run, to third base against Wooster closer Mark Miller in the bottom of the ninth, but Miller ended the game with a strikeout to seal the win and his seventh save of the season.

Baumler (0-3) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in five innings. Barnes earned the win with three scoreless innings of work. He allowed just three hits.

Merryman (2-for-5), Cimino (2-for-3), Winters (2-for-4) and Cribbins (2-for-4) combined for eight of Marietta’s 10 hits in the loss. Skulina led Wooster with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, which included two home runs and four RBI. Matthew Johnson also had three his in four at-bats for the Fighting Scots, who had 12 hits and overcame two errors in the win.

Marietta will return to action against Ohio Wesleyan, another NCAC foe, on Thursday (March 27) afternoon in Delaware, Ohio. First pitch with the Battling Bishops, coached by former Pioneer pitching coach Tyler Mott, is slated for 3 p.m. The action can be heard live locally in Marietta on WMOA-AM 1490 and over the Internet at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.