MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Senior Mark Williams (Fayetteville/Perry) struck out nine and threw eight scoreless innings to help the #12 Marietta College baseball team get off to a winning start with a 5-0 victory over Maryville (Tenn.) College Saturday (Feb. 26) afternoon on the campus of Rhodes College. [Box Score]

Williams scattered just three hits and two walks over his time on the mound to improve to 1-0 on the spring. Junior Logan Lewis (Nashport/Tri-Valley) allowed an additional hit in the ninth but preserved the shutout.

Scott Roselli (1-1) suffered the loss for the Scots (7-4) after being tagged for three runs (two earned) on seven hits in four and two-thirds innings. He walked two and struck out four.  

Marietta's offense struck in its first at-bat when senior center fielder John Snyder (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) delivered a two-out RBI single to center, which plated junior second baseman Kirby Becker (South Euclid/St. Ignatius) with the first run of the season. Becker reached earlier in the inning with the Pioneers' first hit of the spring.

The Etta Express added to its advantage with a two-run third. Back-to-back one-out singles by junior shortstop Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance) and Becker were followed by a double steal to put runners on second and third. Senior designated hitter Britt Meador (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, while Snyder picked up his second RBI with another single.

Senior first baseman Casey Levens (Dayton/Centerville) delivered a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the seventh to give Marietta a 5-0 lead. Becker, who was hit by a pitch, and Meador, who singled, both scored on the play.

Marietta had eight of nine starters collect at least one hit in the 11-hit attack and its defense played an errorless game.

Becker finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored, while Snyder and Levens both had two hits and two RBI. Three different Scots had a hit in the loss, including Myles Cordell, who had a double.

Marietta is back in action at 8 p.m. when it takes on host Rhodes College (3-5) in a single, nine-inning game at Christian Brothers High School. Live stats will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/rhodes/baseball/index.htm. Fans can listen to a tape-delayed broadcast of the game following the Ohio Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Championship on WMOA-AM 1490.