PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida —
Alex Page (Monroe, Ohio/Monroe) smacked a three-run triple in the top of the ninth inning breaking a 4-4 tie and leading Marietta College to an 8-4 win over Bridgewater State University Sunday (March 8) afternoon in the Snowbird Baseball Classic. The Etta Express improves to 4-0 on the season, while Bridgewater State falls to 0-1 overall.
"It was a weird day with all of the wind. But it was good to get the win," Marietta head coach
Brian Brewer said. "We didn't take good care of the baseball today and did a poor job with the bunting game. It was nice to see Alex get that big hit and Dalton (Wiggins) threw well."
Freshman
Tate Engle (Beverly, Ohio/Fort Frye) pinch hit and singled through the right side of the infield to start the Pioneer rally in the ninth.
Matthew Busby (St. Clairsville, Ohio/St. Clairsville) pinch ran for Engle and moved over to second base when the BSU catcher's pickoff throw got away from the first baseman.
Following a strikeout on a two-strike bunt attempts, the Bears elected to intentionally walk MC's leadoff hitter,
Damian Yenzi (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills).
Drew Holderbach (Fairfield, Ohio/Badin) followed with a single to center field loading the bases for Page. Page drove the 1-0 pitch to the wall in right-center clearing the bases for a 7-4 Marietta lead.
Drew Wilkinson (Medina, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) added an RBI single for the final margin.
Five different Pioneers had multiple hits in the game. Yenzi was 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. Holderbach finished with three singles and scored twice, while Page was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and the three-run triple. Wilkinson and
Seamus Kenneally (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) also had two hits in the game. Wilkinson drove in a pair of runs, while Kenneally had a double and one RBI.
Yenzi led the game off with a double to the wall in leftfield. Holderbach dropped down a bunt and beat it out for a single. On the play, the Bears' third baseman threw the ball away allowing Yenzi to score. It was the first of five errors for Bridgewater State on the day.
The Bears struck for three runs in the bottom of the second off of Pioneer starter
Justin Aviles (Brentwood, N.Y./Brentwood). BSU took advantage of a couple of hit batsmen and a single to load the bases. Liam Bell delivered a three-run double giving the Bears a 3-1 lead.
Marietta cut the deficit in half with a run in the third. Page reached on a two-out single and moved to third on a base hot off the bat of
Logan Vietmeier (Pittsburgh, Pa./Montour). Wilkinson plated Page with an RBI single to right field.
The Etta Express took a 4-3 lead with two unearned runs in the fifth. Yenzi and Holderbach each singled to start the frame. A bad throw on a pickoff attempt allowed both runners to move up one base. BSU pitcher David Kerns struck out the next two batters and appeared to get out of trouble when Wilkinson grounded to the shortstop. But the throw was low and juggled at first base allowing Yenzi and Holderbach to score.
Bridgewater State tied the game with an unearned run of their own in the sixth inning. Lewis Robinson singled and stole second. Marietta relief pitcher
Dalton Wiggins (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Parkersburg South) picked Robinson off at second, but he was safe at third and came around to score when the throw sailed wide of Yenzi.
Aviles went four innings and allowed three runs on three hits. He struck out five and didn't walk any Bear batters. Wiggins (2-0) picked up the win throwing four innings and allowing one unearned run on one hit with two strikeouts.
Sam Mathews (Fairfield, Ohio/Badin) pitched the ninth and allowed one hit and struck out one.
Kerns tossed four and two-thirds innings and was charged with four runs, one earned, on nine hits. He walked one and struck out seven. Matt Josselyn (0-1) took the loss after pitching four and one-third innings. He gave up four runs, all earned, on four hits. Josselyn walked one and struck out four.
Marietta plays two games on Monday (March 9). The Pioneers face Susquehanna University at 11 a.m. and Swarthmore College at 2:30 p.m.
Fans can follow all the Etta Express all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
