Etta Express sweeps Capital on the road 4-1 and 8-1
Pioneers improve to 4-0 in the OAC

March 29, 2008
By: Steve Rose, Assistant SID
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — The Marietta College baseball continued its early dominance in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) with a two-game sweep, 4-1 and 8-1, of Capital University Saturday (March 29) afternoon at V.A. Memorial Stadium, the home of the Frontier League's Chillicothe Paints. The wins improved Marietta's record to 6-10 overall and 4-0 in the OAC. Capital fell to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the OAC.

Junior T.J. Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton) pitched a complete game in the opener. Knowlton (4-1) gave up only one run on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks in seven innings. Capital's Nick Brown (0-1) took the loss. He pitched all seven innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and four walks.

The Etta Express jumped ahead early in the first, when junior Cameron Cimino (Boardman) scored off an error by the Capital left fielder. Marietta plated another in the third, when Cimino led off the inning with a triple to left center and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Pioneers a 2-0 edge.

In the fourth, junior Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) used a sacrifice fly to score senior Tony Piconke (Clinton Township, Mich./Clintondale), who singled earlier in the inning. Sophomore Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) then singled to drive in Cimino and move the score to 4-0.

The Crusaders would plate one late in the bottom of the seventh, but could not any closer, as Knowlton retired the next three hitters to preserve the 4-1 victory.

Cimino finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored in the opener. Penwell used his only hit to drive in a run, while Merryman had a RBI with a sacrifice fly. 

Merryman (1-2) earned the win in game two after he went seven innings, giving up only one run on six hits. He struck out a career-high 10 batters without issuing a walk. Sophomore Mark Jackson (Warren/Champion) pitched two innings in relief, giving up only one hit with two strikeouts.

Again, Marietta struck early against the Crusaders, this time plating two in the first frame. Cimino continued to stay hot with a single and then scored on a two-run home run to left center off the bat of senior Dom Winters (Washington, Pa.).

A Piconke single plated Penwell in the second to give Marietta a 3-0 lead. Cimino reached on a single in the third and scored on a Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) single up the middle to move the score to 4-0.

Piconke added another RBI in the fourth with a sacrifice fly that scored Penwell. Freshman Sean Mahley (Cambridge) then scored off on a fielder's choice to move the score to 6-0.

Piconke again used a sacrifice fly to score Penwell in the sixth. In the seventh, sophomore Dan Jones (Lima/Shawnee) raced home on a double from freshman Britt Meador (Worthington Kilbourne).

Capital would get its only run off of Merryman in the seventh to complete the scoring with Marietta ahead 8-1.

Piconke, Cimino, Winters, Meador and Penwell all had two hits for the Pioneers, who finished with 13 hits in the win. Piconke also had three RBI, while Winters added two with his first inning home run.

Marietta will stay the night in Chillicothe and play Allegheny (Pa.) on Sunday (March 30) as the home team at V.A. Memorial Stadium. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. General admission in $4. The action can be heard live locally in Marietta on WMOA-AM 1490 and over the Internet at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.