COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a game that will be remembered for years to come, Marietta's Mike Brandts blasted three home runs and drove in seven runs to lead the Pioneers to a thrilling 13-11 victory over North Central in the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional final at Ohio State on Saturday, May 24.
Brandts' heroic performance powered Marietta through a back-and-forth battle, securing the regional title and a berth in the NCAA Division III College World Series. The Pioneers' offense was relentless, scoring in seven of the nine innings.
Kirk Atha and Bill Holmes supported Brandts' efforts with three hits each. Frank Schossler went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Scott McVicar contributed a single and two RBI to the winning cause.
Despite being outhit 17-16, Marietta's timely hitting and power display proved to be the difference. Steve Oberhelman (5-1) earned the win with three crucial innings of relief pitching.
North Central put up a valiant fight, scoring in eight of the nine innings. Craig Stefan led their offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, and three runs scored. Mike Modej added three hits in the losing effort.
