BEXLEY, Ohio — Marietta College closed out the regular season with a pair of 9-2 wins over Capital University Monday (May 6) afternoon in Ohio Athletic Conference baseball action. The Pioneers improve to 21-17 overall and 12-6 in the OAC. Capital concludes its season with a 10-28 overall record and 3-15 in the OAC.
Marietta has earned the No. 3 seed in this weekend's OAC Tournament and will play No. 2 seed Otterbein on Thursday (May 9) at 3:00 p.m. Baldwin Wallace is the regular season champion and top seed. The Yellow Jackets will host the tournament and play No. 4 seed Ohio Northern at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday.
The Pioneers plated two runs in the top of the third inning of game one and then added three more in the fifth for a 5-0 lead. In the third inning,
Alex Richter (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and
Ben Kaplin (Louisville, Ky./Ballard) singled and
Jeremy Tonelli (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Austin Amburgey (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) drove in Richter and reached base safely on an error.
Cael Magill (Atco, N.J./King's Christian) followed with an RBI single to right-center scoring Kaplin.
Amburgey delivered a two-run double to the wall in right-center in the fifth. Magill sacrifice bunted Amburgey to third and
Diego DeCello (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) drove him in with a ground out to the first baseman.
The Comets finally got to Marietta starting pitcher
Trent Valentine (Byesville, Ohio/Cambridge) in the bottom of the fifth. A single and two walks loaded the bases. Robby Harrison drove in two runs with a single through the left side of the infield cutting the Pioneer lead to 5-2.
Marietta earned some breathing room with two runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
Matthew Green (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) smacked a pinch-hit RBI triple in the seventh.
Cole Rieman (West Chester, Ohio/Archbishop Moeller) drove in Green with a single up the middle. Richter added an RBI double in the eighth, while Kaplin drove in the final run with a ground out.
Valentine threw 4.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits in the no decision. He waked five and struck out four. Forrect Havanis (4-3) got the win pitching 2.1 shutout innings and giving up one hit and striking out one.
Gabe Torres (El Paso, Texas/Bel Air) retired all six batters he faced, including two by strikeout, in 2.0 innings of work.
Trevor Woodyard (1-7) started and took the loss for Capital. He allowed five runs on eight hits with four walks and one strikeout. Three other Comet pitchers toed the rubber in game one.
Rieman was 4-for-5 to lead the Pioneer attack. Richter and Magill had two hits each, while Amburgey drove in three runs.
In the second game, the Pioneers fell behind 2-1 after the first inning but shutout the Comets over the next eight innings for the victory. Six Marietta pitchers threw in the game with freshman
Matthew Farmer (Amanda, Ohio/Teays Valley) (1-0) getting the win in his varsity debut.
Farmer allowed one hit and no runs in 1.0 inning of relief.
Jacob Rocky (Strongsville, Ohio/St. Ignatius) started and gave up two runs on three hits with two strikeouts in 1.0 inning.
Jared Bees (Pittsburgh, Pa./Eden Christian) worked 2.0 innings and allowed one hit and struck out three. Zack Marzetz and
Nick Kumor (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) each tossed 2.0 shutout innings, while
Austin Ziance (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) struck out the side in the ninth inning.
Tyler Bebout (2-5) started and got the loss. He was charged with five runs on five hits in 5.0 innings. Capital used four other pitchers in the game.
Tonelli got Marietta on the board with an RBI double in the first. Magill tied the game, 2-2, with a sacrifice fly in the third.
Nick Bonnizzio (Hudson, Ohio/Twinsburg) put the Pioneers in front with an RBI single in the fifth. Magill picked up another RBI with a sac fly and Tonelli drove in one run in Marietta's three run fifth inning.
Kail Hill (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta) added an RBI double in the seventh, while DeCello had an RBI double down the right field line in the eighth.
Tonelli went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Bonnizzio, Hill, and
Shane Rothlisberger (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) each had two hits in the game. Bonnizzio scored three runs and drive in another.
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 X and Instagram.
