UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — The No. 17 ranked Marietta College baseball team split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at John Carroll University Sunday (April 23) afternoon. The Blue Streaks took game one, 15-6, and the Etta Express earned the split with an 8-7 win in 10 innings in game two.
Marietta moves to 25-9 overall and 10-4 in the OAC. The Pioneers are now two games behind league leader Baldwin Wallace in the conference standings with four game to play. John Carroll is 21-11 on the season and 9-5 in the OAC.
John Carroll erupted for 15 runs in its last three at bats to come from behind and defeat the Pioneers in game one.
Marietta scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings for a 3-0 lead.
Cole Yeager (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) led off the fourth with a solo home run over the left field fence.
Nick Bonnizzio (Hudson, Ohio/Twinsburg) led off the fifth with a single and then scored on an RBI double from
Brett Carson (Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley).
Ben Kaplin (Louisville, Ky./Ballard) scored in the sixth on an RBI single from Bonnizzio.
The Blue Streaks answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game. Justin Hanley, Sean Connolly and Erik Daugenti had three straight RBI singles in the frame.
The Pioneers plated two runs in the top of seventh to retake the lead. Yeager drove in a run with a single to centerfield and then the Pioneers plated a second run on a JCU error.
The lead was short lived as the Blue Streaks plated six runs in the bottom of the seventh. John Carroll started the inning with four straight hits and catcher Logan LaMere capped the rally with a two-run double down the right field line.
John Carroll put the game away with six more runs in the bottom of the eighth. The Blue Streaks took advantage of two Pioneer errors in the frame.
Trent Valentine (Byesville, Ohio/Cambridge) started on the mound for the Pioneers and allowed three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
Kail Hill (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) (8-2) was tagged with the loss after surrendering six runs in 1.0 inning of work.
Henry Darrow (2-3) got the win in relief of starter Matt Aukerman. Darrow allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits over the final 3.0 innings. He struck out four. Aukerman threw the first 6.0 innings and allowed three runs on 10 hits.
Carson went 4-for-4 to lead the Marietta offense. Yeager had three hits, including the home run. Bonnizzio and
Zach Marzetz (Blacklick, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) had two hits apiece.
Carson lined a triple to left center with one out in the top of the tenth inning of game two.
Ty Davis (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) followed with a ground out to the shortstop driving in Carson with the winning run.
Marietta scored five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 6-2 lead.
Austin Amburgey (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) walked, Kaplin and Marzetz singled loading the bases with no outs. Busby singled up the middle scoring Amburgey. Bonnizzio plated a run with a ground out and Carson added an RBI single. A sac fly from Valentine scored Busby and then a successful double steal allowed Carson to score.
The Blue Streaks countered with three runs in the home half of the fourth and then grabbed the lead with two more in the sixth. Hanley provided the fireworks in the fourth with a three-run home run to left. Bryce Holt drove in a run with a single in the sixth and then the Blue Streaks took the lead when Joe Olsavsky scored on a wild pitch.
Davis tied the game in the top of the eighth inning with a two-out RBI double to right field.
Marzetz (3-0) got the win throwing the final 4.0 innings. He gave up no runs on two hits.
Gino Sabatine (Alliance, Ohio/West Branch) started and worked 3.1 innings allowing five runs on six hits.
Jacob Rocky (Strongsville, Ohio/St. Ignatius) gave up two runs on two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
Maxwell Schumaker (1-2) took the loss. Schumaker gave up two runs on four hits in 3.0 innings. Jon Ambro started and threw 3.0 innings giving up five runs on six hits.
Carson had three hits, including the triple in the tenth. Davis had a pair of doubles and drove in three runs. Marzetz and Busby had two hits.
Marietta hosts Oberlin College on Wednesday (April 26) for a single nonconference game. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Pioneer Park.
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.
