FROSTBURG, Md. — Marietta College nearly pulled off the upset of No. 8 ranked Frostburg State University on Easter Sunday (April 5). However, three defensive miscues resulted in five unearned runs for the Bobcats as they held on for a 7-6 victory. The Etta Express slips to 12-10 on the season, while Frostburg improves to 21-3 overall.
Marietta scored one run in each of the first two innings for the early 2-0 lead.
Tim McCoy (Willoughby/St. Ignatius) was hit by a paitch to start the game and moved around to third base on a single by
Mitch Geers (West Chester/Lakota East). A
Ryan Hanahan (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) ground out allowed McCoy to score.
In the second inning,
Chris Petrucci (Farmington, W.Va./Notre Dame) reached on a two-out base hit bunt and quickly stole second.
Christian Demko (Xenia/Bellbrook) followed with a single up the middle scoring Petrucci for the 2-0 lead.
The Bobcats got one run back in the third and then tied the game with a run in the home half of the fourth. Pioneer starter
Austin Eaton (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) had some control problems in the third walking the bases loaded. Frostburg got on the board with an RBI ground out.
Connor Cooper led off the fourth with a double and later scored on a throwing error by the Pioneers to knot the score at 2-2.
Frostburg grabbed the lead in the seventh scoring five runs on four base hits. A costly Marietta error in the inning resulted in four of the runs being unearned.
Marietta responded with two runs in the eighth. Hanahan delivered an RBI double and
Chris Winpigler (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) drove in a run with a ground out. The Pioneers headed into the ninth inning trailing 7-4.
Frostburg went to the bullpen to start the ninth inning pulling starter Clayton Freimuth. Freimuth (6-0) worked 8.0 innings and allowed four runs on eight base hits. He walked two and struck out five.
Nick Huff took over on the mound and gave up a lead off single to
Jake Newton (Lancaster/Bloom Carroll).
Brandon Papp (Uniontown/Green) pinch ran for Newton.
Doug Bennett (New Castle, Pa./Shenango) walked and was pulled for pinch runner
Michael Barnabei (Pickerington/Pickerington Central). Petrucci worked the count full before smacking a single to left field scoring Papp and chasing Huff from the game.
Sophomore Ryan Callahan relieved Huff and faced pinch hitter
Eric White (North Royalton/North Royalton) with runners on the corners. White hit into a double play that allowed Barnabei to score making it a one run game, 7-6.
McCoy batted with two outs and worked a free pass. Frostburg quickly went to the bullpen again bringing on freshman Tyler Hoffman to face Pioneer senior
Mitch Geers (West Chester/Lakota East).
Geers walked putting the tying run in scoring position at second base and the go ahead run on base. Hoffman induced a pop up to shallow right field ending the Marietta rally and securing the victory. Hoffman notched his second save of the season.
Eaton worked 3.2 innings for the Pioneers. He gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits with five walks and two strikeouts.
Tyler Nieberding (Cincinnati/Elder) (2-2) took the loss. Nieberding threw 3.0 innings and allowed five runs, one earned, on four hits.
The Pioneers outhit Frostburg 10-7. Geers, Petrucci and
Tyler Packanik (Plant City, Fla./Newsome) each finished with two hits in the game for Marietta. Hanahan had a double and two RBI.
Marietta will finally play a home game this week as the Pioneers are slated to host the University of Mount Union on Wednesday (April 8). The Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. first pitch at Don Schaly Stadium.
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.
