Marietta College: Baseball

June 2, 1986
MARIETTA, Ohio — Freshman Darrin Spitzer sparked a five-run, eighth-inning rally with a pinch-hit RBI double to center as Marietta College captured the 1986 NCAA Division III World Series title with an 11-6 victory over Ithaca College in front of a hometown crowd at Pioneer Park.

In the eighth inning, down one run, 6-5, Marietta coach, Don Schaly sent Jeff Marbaugh to pinch hit for Scott McVicar. When Ithaca called upon a left-handed reliever, Schaly sent Spitzer to the plate. Spitzer hit a 1-0 pitch to left-center for the game-tying double. He later scored the go-ahead run on a ground out.

Senior pitcher Jim Katschke (14-4), who also got the start in the 1983 Championship game, went the distance for Marietta, scattering 10 hits, to pick up the win, his second in the Series.

Drew Witouski finished with four of the Pioneers’ 14 hits, while four of his teammates added a pair of hits in the victory. Senior Mike Brandts, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI in the title game, was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. Brandts finished the Series 11-for-21 (.524) with three home runs, 15 runs scored and 10 RBI. Katschke, Witouski and Sean Risley joined Brandts on the All-Tournament team.