MARIETTA, Ohio – Powered by a 10-run first inning, the Marietta College Pioneers buried Frostburg State University by the score of 18-0 Wednesday (March 28) afternoon. Marietta, ranked No. 2 in the nation, improves to 12-3 on the season. Frostburg falls to 13-9 overall. [Box Score]

The win was Marietta's 20th straight at Don Schaly Stadium. The Pioneers also moved a game closer to the program's 2,000th victory. With today's win, the Etta Express has won 1,997 games in the history of the program.

Several streaks are developing for the Pioneers. Marietta has posted four straight shutouts and hasn't allowed a run in the last 36 innings. Defensively, the Pioneers have played three consecutive errorless games and haven't committed an error in the last 28 innings.

The Etta Express sent 14 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning to take an insurmountable 10-0 lead.

Senior second baseman #Kirby Becker (South Euclid/St. Ignatius)# led the inning off with a single to center field followed by a base hit bunt by senior shortstop #Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance)#. Junior center fielder #Aaron Hopper (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg)# made it three straight hits with a double to right field that scored Becker.

The Pioneers batted around and Hopper doubled again in the inning. This time he drove in three runs with a shot to the center field fence. Hopper scored Marietta's tenth run of the frame on a double by junior catcher #Alex Toth (Painesville/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin)#.

Senior #Mike Mahaffey (Worthington/Bishop Watterson)# retired the first 12 Bobcat hitters he faced en route to his third win of the season. Mahaffey (3-0) pitched six innings and gave up three hits, all singles, and struck out nine.

Freshman #Anthony Knittel (Stout/Portsmouth West)# made his collegiate debut and threw one inning giving up one hit and striking out one. Junior #Luke Langdon (Troy/Troy)# and senior #Logan Lewis (Nashport/Tri-Valley)# each threw an inning of relief for the Pioneers.

Sophomore Ryan D'Arcy (0-2) started and took the loss for Frostburg.  D'Arcy was roughed up for nine runs, all earned, on six hits in 0.2 innings of work. The Bobcats used six different pitchers in the game.

Marietta added runs in each of the odd-numbered innings. Saunders launched a two-run home run over the left field fence in the third. Two innings later, Saunders smacked a three-run shot over the right field fence.

Saunders ended the day 4-for-4 with six runs driven in, five runs scored and the two home runs. Hopper knocked in four runs and went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Marietta opens Ohio Athletic Conference play this Saturday (March 31) when Ohio Northern comes to Don Schaly Stadium for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.