FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The No. 13 ranked Marietta College Baseball team opened the 2016 season on Friday (Feb. 26) at the Methodist Diamond Invitational. The Etta Express fell to No. 1 ranked and defending national champion Cortland State 7-4 and then bounced back to beat Lynchburg College 15-6.
Cortland (3-0 overall) scored seven runs in the fourth and fifth innings to turn a one-run deficit into a six-run lead. Marietta chipped away at the lead with single runs in the sixth and eighth innings.
Trailing 7-3 heading into the ninth, the Pioneers loaded the bases with one out. But the Express managed just one run before the Red Dragons secured the victory.
Designated hitter
Austin Harvey (Richmond, Mich./Richmond) led the Pioneer offensive going 3-for-4 with a solo home run and three runs batted in.
Chris Petrucci (Farmington, W.Va./Notre Dame) smacked a pair of singles and drove in MC's other run.
Senior
Christian Herstine (Beaver, Pa./Beaver Area) (0-1) started on the mound and was tagged with the loss. Herstine worked 4.0 innings and allowed four runs, all earned, on seven hits.
Seth Lamando (1-0) struck out seven Pioneers and threw 5.0 innings of one-run ball for the win. He scattered five hits and walked one. Adam Brant closed out the game in the ninth for his first save.
Against Lynchburg the Pioneers scored in six of their nine offensive frames. Marietta jumped out to a7-1 lead and appeared to have things under control. But five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning got Lynchburg within a run, 7-6.
Marietta quickly grabbed the momentum back with four in the top of fifth. The Express added four more runs in the final two innings for the 15-6 victory.
Michael Barnabei (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) was 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored for the Pioneers.
Mike Hale (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) and
Shane Fetsko (South Park, Pa./South Park) each had a single and double in the game.
Tommy Crowl (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day) started the game on the mound and went 3.2 innings before giving way to the bullpen. Crowl allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits.
David Stover (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) (1-0) picked up the win with 3.1 innings of one-hit, shutout relief.
Marietta plays the host school Methodist University, ranked No. 23 nationally, on Saturday (Feb. 27) at 4:00 p.m.
Fans can follow the Etta Express year around at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
