MARIETTA, Ohio — The No. 20 ranked Etta Express split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader with John Carroll University Saturday (April 28) afternoon at Don Schaly Stadium. The Pioneers took game one, 10-4, and John Carroll won the second game, 5-2.
Marietta moves to 23-11 overall and 11-5 in the OAC. The Blue Streaks are 18-15 on the season and 8-8 in league play. The Pioneers fall into a tie with Ohio Northern for second place in the OAC standings with two conference games to play. Otterbein sits atop the standings with a 13-3 OAC record. Marietta plays at Otterbein next Saturday.
Leading by one run, 5-4, the Pioneers scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break the game open.
Easton Berry (Ripley, W.Va./Ripley) took advantage of the run support and picked up his first save of the season with 3.2 innings of shutout relief.
Connor Golden (South Charleston, W.Va./Charleston Catholic) delivered a two run single to get the sixth inning rally started. Golden also drove in two runs with a double in the Pioneers' three-run second inning.
Mike Hale (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) and
Brady Cottom (Matthews, N.C./Butler) added RBI singles in the sixth.
David Stover (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) (9-2) started and got the win on the mound for Marietta. Stover tossed 5.1 innings and allowed four runs, two earned, on nine hits. He struck out two. Berry worked 3.2 innings and gave up two hits and struck out three.
Steven Virost (4-4) started and got the loss for the Blue Streaks. He threw 3.1 innings and allowed five runs on five hits with five walks. Nicholas D'Angelo gave up five runs on five hits in 2.1 innings, while Erich Payne pitched 2.1 scoreless innings.
Golden finished 2-for-5 with a double and four RBI.
Damian Yenzi (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and
Seamus Kenneally (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) also had two hits in the game, while
Geoff Snyder (Norton, Ohio/Norton) reached base all five times he batted. Snyder walked four times and had a single. He scored three times.
John Carroll built a 4-0 lead in the second game. The Pioneers cut the lead in half with one run in the sixth and another in the seventh. But The Blue Streaks added a big insurance run in the top of the ninth.
MC's first run of the game scored on an error by the John Carroll shortstop.
Chris Petrucci (Farmington, W.Va./Notre Dame) drove in the second run with an RBi single to center field.
Marietta managed to load the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but a pop out off the bat of Golden ended the threat.
Scott Oberhelman (Washington Twp., N.J./Old Tappan) (4-1) started and took the loss. He threw 6.0 innings and gave up four runs on nine hits. He struck out four.
Kordell Antill (Woodsfield, Ohio/Monroe Central),
Michael Barnabei (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) and
Ray Hukill (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay) all threw in relief for the Pioneers.
Fred Moore (5-1) started and got the win for JCU. He threw 6.0 innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on just two base hits. He walked four and struck out two. Cameron Mayle allowed one run in 1.0 inning of relief before turning the ball over to Nathaniel Wenson. Wenson tossed 2.0 shutout innings for his first save of the season.
Patrucci went 3-for-4 to lead the Marietta offense.
Marietta hosts No. 12 ranked Case Western Reserve University on Sunday (April 29). The doubleheader starts at 12 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.
