MARIETTA, Ohio – Senior quarterback #Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este)# returned to the lineup after missing last week with an injury and led the Marietta College Pioneers to a 31-6 Homecoming victory over Wilmington College. Keller ran for a pair of touchdowns and threw for another as the Pioneers up their record to 2-4 overall and 1-4 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Wilmington falls to 0-6, 0-5 OAC. [Box Score] [Photo Gallery]

Senior kicker #Nathan Zarnoski (Fairview Park/Fairview)# got Marietta on the board first connecting on a 29-yard field goal with 9:42 left in the first. The field goal capped a 13-play, 48-yard drive to open the game for the Pioneers.

Intent on establishing the run, fourth-year head coach Jeff Filkovski called on junior running back #Tevin Dones (Antioch, Calif./Antioch)# six times on the opening drive. Following a three-and-out by the Quakers on the ensuing drive, Marietta went right back to the ground attack running the ball on the first four plays of drive.

However, the Pioneers would lose three running backs to injury in those four plays. Dones carried the ball on first down and had to be helped off the field. Junior #Alex Fountain# gained four yards on second down, but left with an injury. Following a first down carry by Keller, sophomore #Josh Martin (Live Oak, Fla./Suwannee)# was lost for the game after picking up two yards.

Keller and sophomore #Kyle Booth (Lewisburg/Tri-County North)# carried the load for Marietta the rest of the way. Booth carried the ball 26 times for a career-high 7 yards, while Keller ended the game with 69 yards on 11 carries.

Keller's first touchdown of the day came on a 1-yard dive with 6:24 left in the first quarter. Zarnoski's poin after gave Marietta a 10-0 lead.

The Quakers responded with a 54-yard scoring drive to cut the lead to 10-6. The Wilmington drive was extended when Marietta was called for encroachment on fourth down. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Arehart completed 3-of-5 passes for 44 yards on the drive, including a 14-yard touchdown to sophomore Kyle Blakeman. The PAT attempt was no good.

Following a 23-yard kickoff return by junior #Quincy Bell (Groveport/Groveport Madison)# and a penalty on the Quakers, Marietta started their next drive at the Wilmington 44 yard line. Five plays later, Keller scored from 16 yards out and Zarnoski added the extra point to give Marietta a 17-6 lead at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, Keller hit junior wide receiver #Sean Munfield (Marietta/Marietta)# for a 5-yard touchdown just 26 seconds into the fourth period. The scoring strike capped a 13-play, 72-yard drive and gave the Pioneers a 24-6 lead.

The final dagger in the heart of Wilmington came at the hands of the Marietta freshman defensive back #Darious Williams (St. John's, Fla./Creekside)#. Williams stepped in front of an Arehart pass and returned it 24 yards for a pick-six and a 31-6 Marietta lead.

For the game, Marietta rushed for 170 yards on 47 attempts, both season highs. Keller was 13-of-21 for 163 yards. Senior wide receiver #Chad Walker (Spring Hill, Fla./Central)# had six receptions for 51 yards and sophomore #Kirby Harris (Greenville, S.C./South Side)# caught five passes for 54 yards.

Arehart ended the day 15-of-26 for 138 yards and a touchdown. Arehart was picked off three times. Junior running back Tyrell Richardson rushed for 59 yards on 17 carries.

Senior linebacker #Dan Starr (Senecaville/Buckeye Trail)# had a team-high 10 tackles for Marietta, including two tackles for a loss and a sack. Fellow senior, #Jake Depp (Geneva/Geneva)# had eight tackles and freshman defensive back #Jake Green (Yulee, Fla./Yulee)# had a pair of interceptions.

Sophomore linebacker Matt McFadden recorded a game-high 13 tackles for the Quakers. Senior linebacker Antwoine Shelton added 10 tackles.

The Pioneers are back in action next Saturday, October 22nd at 1:30 p.m. when Heidelberg University comes to Don Drumm Stadium. At halftime of the game, the Marietta College baseball team will receive their 2011 National Championship rings.