MARIETTA — Steve Riley capped a brilliant game by stroking a two-run single in the 12th inning as Marietta defeated Ithaca, 14-12, to capture the 1981 Division III Men's Baseball Championship.

It was the Pioneers' first national title after finishing second twice and fourth once. The title game matched last year's final two teams. As in 1980, Marietta came into the game undefeated while Ithaca had already suffered one loss. However, unlike last year, when the Bombers defeated Marietta twice to claim the title, the Pioneers settled the matter in one game.

Riley, normally a pitcher, was forced into action when the Pioneers' regular first baseman became ill after Marietta's second-round 12-6 win over Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Riley collected three singles before his late inning heroics. Riley lined a single through a drawn-in infield scoring Jon Shuler and Ken Lisko with the winning runs. Marietta had come back from a 7-1 deficit after three innings to tie the game, 12-12, in the eighth inning. The Pioneers then rode the shutout pitching of reliever Dale Hurst for the rest of the game.

John Schaly, the tournament MVP, was a perfect 4-4 with a double and three RBI in the championship game. With the game on the line, the hot hitting second baseman was walked intentionally with runners on base in both the ninth and 11th innings. Schaly finished the Series with a tournament-leading .667 batting average.

Marietta placed five players on the All-Tournament team — Hurst, Lisko, Shuler, Schaly and Tom Mohl.