MARIETTA, Ohio — The Marietta College baseball team swept a doubleheader from visiting Baldwin-Wallace College on Alumni Day Saturday (April 25) afternoon at Don Schaly Stadium. The Pioneers rallied for an 8-6 win in the first game and then out slugged the Yellow Jackets 23-13 in the second game.
Marietta, who remain in second place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), improved to 22-11 overall and 11-5 in the league. The Pioneers trail first place Heidelberg University by two games with two to play after the Student Princes swept a twinbill at Wilmington College. Baldwin-Wallace fell to 17-17 overall and 7-9 in the OAC.
Baldwin-Wallace batted around and took control early by scoring four runs on four hits in its first at-bat of the opener. Riley Kreisher had a key two-run home run for the Yellow Jackets in the frame.
Marietta turned the tables by batting around its own lineup in the fourth. All of the Pioneers' damage came with two outs in the inning. Freshman Niko Stanislav (Olmsted Falls/Berea) (Olmsted Falls/Berea) triggered the rally after the Etta Express loaded the bases with a two-run double down the left field line. Senior Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) then added a two run single up the middle to tie the score at 4-4. Senior Cameron Cimino (Boardman/Boardman) (Boardman) doubled home the fifth run, and sophomore Casey Levens (Dayton/Centerville) (Dayton/Centerville) drove in the sixth and seventh runs with Marietta's third double of the inning.
The Pioneers plated an insurance run with two outs in the fifth. Sophomore Jordan Thompson (Quaker City/Buckeye Trail) (Quaker City/Buckeye Trail) led off with a double and later scored on Stanislav's second double in as many innings to increase Marietta's lead to 8-4.
The Yellow Jackets battled back with two runs in the sixth, but senior Chris Stewart (Dublin/Dublin Coffman) (Dublin/Coffman) came in and prevented further damage by getting Kreisher to hit into an inning-ending double play. Stewart then earned his third save of the year by retiring Baldwin-Wallace in order in the seventh, preserving the 8-6 win.
Baldwin-Wallace tagged Knowlton for four runs on four hits in three innings. The right-hander walked five and struck out two. Senior Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) bridged the gap until Marietta's bats could get going and earned the win for his efforts. Baumler, who improved to 3-2, allowed two runs on four hits, walked two and fanned one in 2 1/3 frames.
Brandon Fredericks took the loss after giving up seven runs on nine hits in four innings. Fredericks (4-4) walked five and struck out two.
The Pioneers out hit the Yellow Jackets 12-9 in the win. There were no errors in the game and both team stranded six runners on base.
Levens, Jones, junior Matt DeSico (Euclid/Euclid) (Euclid) and Stanislav all had two hits. The group combined for four of the Pioneers' six doubles in the victory.
Marietta wasted no time jumping on top in the second game as it plated five runs in the first inning. The Etta Express loaded the base for DeSico, who quickly cleared them with a double into the gap in left center. Freshman Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance) (Alliance) added a two-run single to right later in the frame.
The Pioneers extended their lead to 8-0 in the second on a three-run home run from Levens to straight away center field. The home run was his fifth of the spring.
Baldwin-Wallace scored its first run of the nightcap in the third. Marietta responded with two more runs, which came across on a double by Levens in the bottom of the inning to stretch the advantage to 10-1.
The Etta Express took a 10-run lead after a RBI single up the middle by Stanislav with two outs in the fourth.
Marietta scored five additional runs in the sixth to stretch the lead to 15-1. Senior Josh Spicer (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and Beatty had RBI doubles, while DeSico added a run-scoring single in the frame.
Baldwin-Wallace plated nine runs to pull within striking distance, 15-10, in the seventh. The Pioneers scored their 16th run of the game on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
B-W scored its 11th run in the eighth to make it 16-11. Marietta then broke the game back open with a seven-run eighth. Levens and DeSico both hit their record tying third double of the game in the frame; DeSico drove in a run with his double. Cimino also plated a pair with a double, the 11th by a Pioneer in the game, which tied a team record. Beatty capped Marietta's scoring at 23 with a two-run home run later in the inning.
The Yellow Jackets got a two-run home run from Kreisher in the ninth but the game ended with the Pioneers winning 23-13.
Marietta finished with a season-high 24 hits, while Baldwin-Wallace had 17. Levens and DeSico both had four hits and five RBI, while Cimino also added four hits and scored five runs. Stanislav and Beatty finished with three hits, while Spicer had two in the win.
Freshman starter Brian Gasser (New Philadelphia/Indian Valley) (New Philadelphia/Indian Valley) earned the win after scattering one run on eight hits in six innings. Gasser, who walked two and struck out six, improved to 5-1. Jim Jaskowak took the loss after he gave up eight runs on eight hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Marietta is back in action on Sunday (April 26) evening when the Etta Express welcomes Denison University to Don Drumm Stadium for a single, nine-inning game. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. Fans can listen to the games on WMOA-AM 1490 and online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html. Live stats will be available at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/livestats/xlive.htm.
