TIFFIN, Ohio — The #18 Marietta College baseball team opened Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play with a doubleheader sweep at rival #3 Heidelberg University Saturday (March 21) afternoon in Peaceful Valley. The Pioneers (8-3, 2-0 OAC), who swept the Student Princes (11-5, 0-2 OAC) in their league opener for the second straight year, won the first game 7-2 and then held on for an 11-8 victory in the nightcap.
The sweep marked the second and third victories for the four-time national champion Etta Express against a top 10 team; Marietta defeated then #7 Texas-Tyler on March 9 during its spring trip to Abilene, Texas.
Heidelberg scored a run in its first at-bat on a RBI double by Jack Bault. Senior All-OAC standout Cameron Cimino (Boardman/Boardman) (Boardman) led the Pioneers' offensive attack, which produced 10 hits in the opener. Cimino, who finished 4-for-4 with two runs scored in the victory, ignited Marietta's scoring with a single in the fourth. Junior Chris Beatty (Seven Fields, Pa./Hampton) (Seven Fields, Pa./Hampton) followed with a double, moving Cimino to third. Two batters later, sophomore Casey Levens (Dayton/Centerville) (Dayton/Centerville) came through with a two-run single through the right side to give Marietta a 2-1 lead. After junior Dan Jones (Lima/Shawnee) (Lima/Shawnee) replaced Levens on first base with a fielder's choice, junior Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House/Washington Court House) (Washington Court House) deposited a pitch over the fence for a two-run home run, extending the lead to 4-1.
The Student Princes cut their deficit to 4-2 with a solo home run by Travis McClarney to begin their half of the fourth, only for the Etta Express to plate two more runs in the fifth to build a four-run cushion. Sophomore John Snyder (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) (Altoona, Pa.) and Cimino had back-to-back singles to put two runners on base with one out in the fifth. Beatty then singled down the left field line to drive in Snyder. Cimino scored moments later when junior Matt DeSico (Euclid/Euclid) (Euclid) hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Marietta added one more insurance run in the top of the seventh. Snyder reached base and advanced to second on one of Heidelberg's two errors in the game to begin the inning. A Cimino single moved Snyder to third, and a Beatty sacrifice fly enabled him to score the Pioneers' seventh run of the game.
Senior Chris Stewart (Dublin/Dublin Coffman) (Dublin/Coffman) entered in the bottom of the seventh and shut the door on the victory after allowing one hit. He preserved the win for senior ace T.J. Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton) (Greenwich/Mapleton), who improved to 1-0 on the spring. Knowlton allowed just two runs on seven hits in six frames. He walked two and fanned one.
Marietta handed Heidelberg ace David Paddock his first loss of the year. Paddock was tagged for seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and struck on three in six innings.
The Pioneers scored a run in their first at-bat to take a 1-0 advantage in the second game of the day. Senior Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia/New Philadelphia) (New Philadelphia) hit a one-out single. He then scored from first base on a two-out single by Beatty.
The Etta Express took advantage of four errors in the third to extend the lead to 6-0. Beatty had the only RBI in the frame, as Marietta scored two of the other four runs on failed pickoff attempts at first base.
Heidelberg's high-powered offense exploded for six runs in the bottom of the third to knot the game at 6-6. Derek Andrzejczak had the big blow, a pinch-hit grand slam with two outs.
Marietta regained control with a five-run fifth inning. DeSico opened the frame with a solo home run. Senior Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) followed with a double. Penwell then singled home Cribbins. Freshman Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance) (Alliance) added the fourth hit, a single through the right side, to put runners on first and second. Jones loaded the bases after reaching on an error. Snyder then drew a walk to force in Penwell and Merryman drew another to score Saunders. Jones scored the final run of the inning on a RBI ground out by Cimino, and Marietta led 11-6 midway through the fifth.
Heidelberg plated a pair of runs on a double by Steve Decker in the eighth to cut the lead to three runs, 11-8. The Student Princes then loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth but were unable to score, as Merryman got out of the jam to preserve the win and the sweep.
Freshman Brian Gasser (New Philadelphia/Indian Valley) (New Philadelphia/Indian Valley) threw six innings to earn his third straight win to begin his career. Gasser (3-0) worked around six runs on eight hits; he walked two and struck out a pair. Stewart worked another perfect inning before Levens allowed two runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning. Merryman got the final four outs, giving up one hit and two walks while striking out a pair, to earn his second save of the spring.
Everett Thomas took the loss, falling to 2-1. He allowed eight runs (three earned) on eight hits in four innings. Andy Lowe replaced him in the fifth and gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits over the final five frames.
Both teams finished with 12 hits in the nightcap. Marietta overcame two errors, while Heidelberg could not get past the five it committed.
DeSico paced the Pioneers with three hits, while Merryman and Beatty both added two in the win. Jeremy Wentworth had three hits and Andrzejczak added two for the Student Princes in the loss.
Marietta is back in action on Wednesday (March 24) night when it plays host to Denison University. First pitch of the single, nine-inning game at Don Schaly Stadium is slated for 7 p.m. The action can be heard live on WMOA-AM 1490 and online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html. Live stats can be tracked at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/livestats/xlive.htm.
