MARIETTA, Ohio — The #18 Marietta College baseball team opened its 2009 home schedule with a non-conference doubleheader split against visiting La Roche (Pa.) College on Wednesday (March 18) afternoon at Don Schaly Stadium. The Redhawks (3-6) scored eight of their 10 runs with two outs en route to a 10-8 victory over the Pioneers in the opener. Marietta (6-3) then turned the tables by scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth frame to secure a 10-9 victory in the nightcap.
La Roche took a 1-0 lead by scoring a run in the top of the first against Marietta sophomore starter Mark Williams (Fayetteville/Perry) (Fayetteville/Perry). Pioneer junior Chris Beatty (Seven Fields, Pa./Hampton) (Seven Fields, Pa./Hampton) tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame with a single to right field. Senior Cameron Cimino (Boardman/Boardman) (Boardman), who tripled over the center fielder's head earlier in the inning, scored on the play.
Marietta took its only lead of the opener in the second inning when freshman Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance) (Alliance) belted a single to left field, which drove in sophomore Britt Meador (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) and gave the Pioneers a 2-1 advantage.
The Redhawks regained the lead with a three-run third, knocking Williams out of the game in the process. Williams (0-1) was tagged for four runs on two hits in 2 2/3 innings. He walked three, hit another and fanned three.
La Roche extended its lead to 5-2 in the fourth and then 9-2 in the fifth before Marietta's bats got going in the bottom of the fifth frame. A sacrifice fly by Meador drove in senior Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia/New Philadelphia) (New Philadelphia), who led off with a walk. Senior Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) then doubled in the right field gap, allowing Beatty and Cimino to cross the plate and cut the Pioneers' deficit to 9-5.
Marietta pulled within a run, 9-8, in the sixth. Merryman and Cimino ignited the rally with back-to-back singles. After a fly out, back-to-back hit batters produced a run with Meador picking up the RBI. Cribbins then worked a bases-loaded walk to drive in the second run of the frame. Sophomore Casey Levens (Dayton/Centerville) (Dayton/Centerville) scored the Pioneers' final run on a fielder's choice, but Marietta stranded two in scoring position, which prevented it from tying the game.
La Roche then added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, and George Nahay closed the door by shutting the Etta Express down in its final at-bat to preserve the 10-8 victory. Reed Tomlinson earned the win after allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The Redhawks out hit the Pioneers 12-10 and both teams made one error in the game. Marietta stranded 10 runners and La Roche left 11 on base.
Cimino, who scored three runs, and Beatty both finished with a pair of hits to lead Marietta's offense. Keith Borman went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Andrew Wilmoth and Mitchell Meyers each added two hits in the win.
Marietta jumped on top 2-0 after the second inning of the nightcap. Sophomore John Snyder (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) (Altoona, Pa.) scored the first run on a wild pitch, before junior Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House/Washington Court House) (Washington Court House) plated the second run on a sacrifice fly.
La Roche took advantage of a Marietta error to score seven runs (six unearned) in the top of the third to take control of the second game, 7-2. The Pioneers answered with three runs in the bottom of the third. Junior Dan Jones (Lima/Shawnee) (Lima/Shawnee) doubled and scored on another double by Levens. Snyder then drove in Levens with a single. Snyder later crossed the plate on a fielding error to make the score, 7-5, in favor of La Roche.
The Redhawks added to their lead with a run on three hits in the fifth. Once again, the Pioneers' offense came back in the bottom of the frame to tighten the gap back to one run, 8-7. Junior Matt DeSico (Euclid/Euclid) (Euclid) accounted for the scoring with a two-run home run to deep right center field. Snyder singled and scored on the play.
La Roche produced more two-out lighting when Justin Alessio drilled a solo home run to left center field, boosting his team's lead back to two runs, 9-7. It was the Redhawks 13th run scored with two outs on the day.
The scoring continued for Marietta in the bottom of the sixth. The Pioneers loaded the bases and scored a run on a fielder's choice/error. Saunders then dropped a base-hit bunt down the third base line to drive in Snyder with the tying run. Moments later, Merryman drew a walk to force in DeSico with the go-ahead run, giving the Etta Express a 10-9 lead.
Sophomore Dave Van Voorhees (Bethesda, Md./Bullis) (Bethesda, Md./Bullis), who worked four solid innings of relief, shutdown the Redhawks in the seventh to seal the win, his first of the season. Van Voorhees (1-0) scattered two runs on five hits, walking one and striking out another. Senior Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) threw the first three frames, allowing seven runs (one earned) on six hits. He walked two and fanned a pair.
Justin Gorgacz took the loss after allowing three unearned runs on 2/3 of an inning.
The Etta Express, who stranded 10, was out hit 11-8 and overcame three errors in the win. La Roche, who left five on base, had four errors in the loss.
Snyder and DeSico both had two hits and scored three runs to lead Marietta's offense. Chad McCoy and Meyers both had two hits to pace La Roche.
Marietta now turns its attention to its Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) opener, which will take place on Saturday (March 21) afternoon in Tiffin. First pitch of the doubleheader with #3 Heidelberg University is slated for 1 p.m. The action can be heard live on WMOA-AM 1490 and online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.
