GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Marietta College lost to No. 9 ranked University of Lynchburg by the score of 4-3 Sunday (Feb. 23) afternoon in the D3 Showcase. The Pioneers fall to 1-2 overall, while the Hornets improve to 5-0 on the season.
 
Joe Munitz delivered a two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to give Lynchburg a 4-2 lead. The Hornets rallied after the first two batters of the inning were retired. Benton Jones walked, and Eric Hiett was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position before Munitz singled through the right side of the infield driving in the winning runs.
 
Marietta tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth but fell one run short. Cael Magill (Atco, N.J./King's Christian) reached on a one-out double. Following a flyout for the second out of the inning. McKenna lifted a ball into the leftfield corner that was misplayed by the Hornet defender allowing Magill to score and McKenna to move down to second base. Lynchburg reliever Brock Duff struck out the next Pioneer to end the game.
 
Lynchburg got on the board in the top of the second inning. Munitz walked and moved from first to third when Gavin Collins grounded out to the third baseman. Parker Cato singled scoring Munitz with the first run of the game.
 
McKenna tied the game with a solo home run over the left field wall in the bottom f the fifth inning, The hit was Marietta's first off Lynchburg starter Nick Mattfield.
 
Jones led off the top of the sixth with a solo shot to right field putting the Hornets back in front, 2-1. The Pioneers tied the game in the bottom of the frame when Will Loftus (Westfield, Ind./Brebeuf Jesuit) singled to center scoring Diego DeCello (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin), who reached on a hit batsman and moved to second on a sac bunt from Thomson Babineau (Scituate, Mass./Calvary Chapel).
 
Mattfield (1-0) went 6.1 innings for the win. He allowed two runs on three hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Duff recorded his first save of the season working the final 2.2 innings. He allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out three.
 
Zach Marzetz (Blacklick, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) started on the mound for Marietta and pitched 5.2 strong innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Jared Bees (Pittsburgh, Pa./Eden Christian) (0-1) took the loss giving up two runs on one hit in 1.1 innings of work. He walked one and struck out one. Reece Rupert (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland) and Matthew Farmer (Amanda, Ohio/Teays Valley) each threw 1.0 shutout inning of relief.
 
Magill was the lone Pioneer with two hits in the game finishing 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. McKenna drove in one run with his solo homer, while Loftus picked up an RBI for the Pioneers.
 
Marietta hosts Wilson College in its home-opener next Saturday (Mar. 1) at Pioneer Park. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
 
Fans can follow 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.