PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — The No. 16 ranked Etta Express wrapped up play in the Snowbird Classic Saturday (March 14) afternoon. Marietta downed the University of Massachusetts Boston 9-2 before falling in a wild game with No. 3 SUNY Cortland by the score of 14-12.
Against UMass Boston (0-3 overall), freshman pitcher
Austin Eaton (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) improved to 2-0 on the season after working 8.2 innings in his second quality start. Eaton scattered eight hits and allowed two runs. He walked one and struck out four. Sophomore
Jake Newton (Lancaster/Bloom Carroll) struck out the one batter he faced in relief.
The Pioneers scored three runs in the second and third innings for the early lead. Centerfielder
Tim McCoy (Willoughby/St. Ignatius) delivered a three-run double in the second and third baseman
Ryan Hanahan (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) launched his second home run of the season to account for MC's three in the third.
UMass Boston got on the board with a solo homer from Daniel Mantoni to lead off the fourth. Marietta responded with a pair of runs in the fifth. Designated hitter
Connor Golden (South Charleston, W.Va./Charleston Catholic) knocked in a run with a ground ball and McCoy picked up his fourth RBI when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Steve Consiglio (0-1) started on the mound for the Beacons and took the loss. Consiglio gave up eight runs on six hits in 4.1 innings of work. He walked three and struck out three. Steve Roche, Joseph Dewey and Bryan Kaufman each threw in relief.
McCoy finished 2-for-3 with a double and four RBI.
Chris Petrucci (Farmington, W.Va./Notre Dame) and
Brandon Papp (Uniontown/Green) had two hits apiece, while Hanahan smacked the three-run home run.
No. 3 SUNY Cortland (6-0 overall) came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. The Red Dragons sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and scored 10 runs on nine base hits.
Pioneers starter
Ray Sowinski (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) (0-1) was chased after 0.2 innings and was charged with eight runs on six hits. Freshman
Ian Luttrell (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) relieved Sowinksi and threw 1.0 inning and giving up three runs on five hits.
Marietta went to work on offense scoring four runs in the second inning. The Pioneers added seven runs in the middle three innings to cut the deficit to one, 11-10 at the seventh inning stretch.
Sophomore
Mitch McNabb (Grove City/Bishop Ready) shut the Red Dragons down for 4.1 innings allowing Marietta to get back in the game. Cortland finally got to McNabb in the bottom of the seventh plating three runs for a 14-10 lead.
After a scoreless eighth inning for both teams, the Pioneers attempted to rally in the ninth. Marietta scored two runs and had the bases loaded when the game ended.
Brandon Serio (1-0) started and got the win for Cortland. He worked 5.0 innings and gave up seven runs on 11 hits. Serio struck out three. The Red Dragons used three other pitchers in relief.
McCoy and catcher
Eric White (North Royalton/North Royalton) each had three hits for the Pioneers. McCoy had a double, home run and two RBI.
Tyler Packanik (Plant City, Fla./Newsome) was 2-for-6 with a home run and Petrucci smacked his first career homer and had two RBI.
Mitch Geers (West Chester/Lakota East),
Chris Winpigler (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) and
Michael Barnabei (Pickerington/Pickerington Central) all had two hits in the game as Marietta out hit Cortland 18-14.
Marietta is scheduled to open the northern part of the schedule with a nonconference doubleheader at La Roche College on Wednesday (March 18). First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.
Fans can follow the Etta Express all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
