When it comes to NCAA Division III baseball there isn't a program in the nation that comes even close to Marietta College's tradition.

However, tradition can only get you so far. Sometimes it takes a group of never-say-die players who refuse to lose.

In winning its sixth NCAA Division III Baseball Championship — and the first back-to-back title since Rowan did it in 1978-79 — Marietta College pulled off the feat following two weeks of gut-wrenching play.

After fighting through the loser's bracket of the Mideast Regional to advance to the championship series, the Etta Express (48-8) had to basically repeat the same grueling task again at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis. During the two NCAA tournaments, the Pioneers went a combined 11-2.

On Wednesday, top-ranked Marietta defeated St. Thomas 5-0 and finished the day with a 7-2 victory over Wheaton to finish 5-1 in the series. The Etta Express has now won championships in 1981, 1983, 1986, 2006, 2011 and 2012.

With the win, coach Brian Brewer also equals the number of championships won by legendary Marietta coach Don Schaly at three apiece.

Senior Brian Gasser (New Philadelphia/Indian Valley) tossed a gem against Wheaton to earn his first win in this year's championship series. But it also allowed him to erase the memory of being the pitcher of record when the Etta Express lost to Chapman 15-4 in the first championship game in 2011.

Gasser, the 2011 National Pitcher of the Year, can now claim a championship game victory on his record.

Speaking of pitching performances, senior Michael Mahaffey shut down a strong hitting St. Thomas team to push Marietta into the game with Wheaton. Mahaffey didn't allow a base runner to go further than second until the ninth when he left the game for reliever Kyle Lindquist (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne).

The win over the Tommies avenged Marietta's lone loss of the tournament, which began on May 25. Marietta opened the tournament with a 13-2 win over Whitworth behind Austin Blaski's (Pandora/Gilboa) pitching and 22 base hits.

Marietta's 3-1 loss to St. Thomas after a day off because of rain seemed to derail the Etta Express, but like the Mideast Regional, Brewer's team buckled down and showed why they were considered the best team in the nation all season.

Marietta must also say good-bye to an outstanding senior class that included Kirby Becker (South Euclid/St. Ignatius), Niko Stanislav (Olmsted Falls/Berea), Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance), Logan Lewis (Nashport/Tri-Valley), Blaski, Lindquist, Gasser and Mahaffey.