Marietta College: Baseball

May 30, 2006
APPLETON, Wis. — Marietta's 2006 baseball team secured its place in history by defeating Wheaton (Mass.), 7-2, to capture the 2006 NCAA Division III National Championship. It is the Etta Express’ fourth national championship — the second school (Eastern Connecticut State) to do so in the 31-year history of the event.

As has been the case for most of the season, Marietta’s five seniors played a vital role in the team’s success on Championship Day. Jarrod Klausman had a pair of key singles, Justin Steranka provided the offensive fire power with two home runs, Lee Guerrera served as a wall for the pitchers behind the plate, Chris Hendricks continued to play stellar defense and Mike DeMark closed out the most important game of the season.

Sophomore Tony Piconke, with a man on, deposited a fastball over the left-field fence for a two-run home run in the fourth. The Pioneers stuck again in the fifth. Marietta had five hits in the inning with the biggest being a three-run bomb to left-center field by Steranka. Steranka returned to the batter’s box an inning later and slugged a two-run home run over the center-field fence to make the score 7-0 in favor of the Pioneers after six innings.

Wheaton (43-10), who had just one hit through six innings, took advantage of back-to-back walks by Eisenberg to get two runners on base. Pat Connor made the walks hurt with a RBI single through the left side. Eisenberg struck out the next two hitters, before Brandon Leonard singled home another run to make the score 7-2. Eisenberg ended the threat with his third strike out of the inning and 11th of the game.

DeMark retired the first two hitters he faced, one with a fly out and the other with a strikeout. Pioneer fans both at the park and listening around the world had to endure a two-out single, before the final fly ball of the year landed in Piconke’s glove, starting the celebration.

Marietta’s offense finished with 15 hits in the game, while Wheaton had seven. Steranka went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five runs batted in and two runs scored. Freshman Josh Beebe went 3-for-4 with a pair of infield singles. Klausman, Piconke and junior Ryan Eschbaugh each added two hits in the victory.

Eisenberg and Steranka were both honored for their efforts during the Championship with Co-Most Outstanding Player honors. Eisenberg, who was 2-0 in two starts, allowed three runs on 10 hits with 23 strikeouts in 16 innings of work. Steranka batted .500 (9-for-18) with three home runs, 11 runs batted in and four runs scored. Eschbaugh, who hit .500 (6-for-12) and played errorless defense at shortstop, and Klausman, who went 9-for-16 (.560), were also named to the All-Tournament Team.