NEW CONCORD, Ohio — Marietta College lost an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Muskingum University Tuesday (April 1) afternoon. The Muskies took game one, 2-1, and finished the sweep with an 8-5 win in the second game. The losses drop Marietta to 9-12 overall and 0-4 in the OAC. Muskingum improves to 18-4 overall and 4-2 in the OAC.
The first game was an old-fashioned pitcher's duel between
Austin Ziance (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) and Jake Valentine. Valentine (3-1) earned the complete game win scattering three hits and giving up one unearned run in 9.0 innings, He walked one and struck out five.
Ziance tossed 6.0 innings and allowed one run on five hits, all singles, he walked one and struck out five.
Forrest Havanis (Washington, Pa./Trinity) (2-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing one run on four hits in 1.0 inning of work.
Brennan Stobbs (Medina, Ohio/Medina) worked an inning of shutout relief.
Marietta took the lead with an unearned run in the top of the fourth inning. Back-to-back errors put
Cam Russell (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) and
Nick Bonnizzio (Hudson, Ohio/Twinsburg) on base.
Cael Magill (Atco, N.J./King's Christian) sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Russell scored on a ground out from
Cooper Fiehrer (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin).
The Muskies tied the game in the sixth. Grant Mellerson singled up the middle and stole second. Jasper Owens followed with a single to left plating Mellerson.
Muskingum loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth with three straight infield singles, including two bunts. Mellerson eventually scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
Five unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning in game two was the difference in the game. Marietta led 2-0 entering the inning but a pair of errors came back to haunt the Pioneers as Muskingum got two-run singles from Mellerson and Tobie Teke in the frame.
Jacob Rocky (Strongsville, Ohio/St. Ignatius) started on the mound and threw 3.2 innings and allowed five runs, all unearned, on six hits.
Zach Marzetz (Blacklick, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) (1-2) took the loss after allowing one run on three hits in 2.0 innings. Fiehrer gave up two runs on two hits in 2.1 innings of work.
Jake Roshau started for Muskingum and threw 4.0 innings in a no decision. He allowed two runs on three hits. Coleman Harvey (3-0) got the win working 2.1 innings and allowing three runs on two hits. Max Vosters got the save with 2.2 innings of relief.
Marietta plays at Baldwin Wallace this Saturday (April 5). The first game of the doubleheader starts at 1:00 p.m.
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.