MARIETTA, Ohio — The Marietta College Baseball team enters the 2026 season with its sights set on a return to the Ohio Athletic Conference and NCAA Tournament. The Etta Express has a good mix of experience and young talent to face one of the nation's toughest schedules.
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers this spring will be a pair of juniors in preseason All-American pitcher Austin Ziance (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) and third baseman Diego DeCello (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin). Pitcher/third baseman Cooper Fiehrer (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) is looking forward to his senior season after battling injuries in 2025.
 
In addition to Fiehrer, the senior class includes middle infielder Thomson Babineau (Scituate, Mass./Calvary Chapel), pitchers Jared Bees (Pittsburgh, Pa./Eden Christian) and Josh Pedersen (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson), and utility player Shane Rothlisberger (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston).
 
The projected starting rotation on the mound will include Ziance, sophomore Reece Rupert (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland), junior Luke Czarnomski (Medina, Ohio/Medina), and Fiehrer. The righthanded Ziance led the OAC in strikeouts last spring with 72 punchouts. He was ranked in the top-5 in the conference with a 1.94 earned run average, 69.2 innings pitches, and a .218 opponent batting average.
 
Rupert, a lefty, was 1-2 with a 4.29 earned run average in eight appearances and four starts last spring. Czarnomski was 0-1 in limited varsity action, while Fiehrer was 0-2 with three saves in nine relief appearances. Czarnomski and Fiehrer are both righthanders.
 
Like 2025, Fiehrer will also see time out of the bullpen. Joining him in the pen is Bees, Pedersen, juniors Matthew Farmer (Amanda, Ohio/Teays Valley) and Zach Madan (Lyndhurst, Ohio/Lake Catholic), and sophomores Evan Wilson (Charleston, W.Va./Capital), Alex Dues (Fort Recovery, Ohio/Fort Recovery) and Nate Holowka (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield). Bees was 1-2 with a 5.64 ERA last spring. Farmer made 10 relief appearances a year ago and was 0-0 with a 7.20 ERA. Madan posted a 4.35 ERA in seven relief appearances, while Wilson was 1-1 in four appearances, including one start. Dues and Holowka both pitched twice out of the bullpen.
 
Handling the pitching staff behind the plate will be sophomore Bryce Bogan (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) and freshman Evan King (Waynesville, Ohio/Springboro). Bogan started 25 games last year and committed just one error in his rookie season. 
 
Drew McKenna (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) and Cameron Birch (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) will battle for the job at first base. McKenna, a junior, played in 30 games making 20 starts a year ago. He batted .211 with a pair of home runs. Birch was an All-Ohio player at Olentangy High School.
 
Babineau will get the nod at second base after starting all but one game last spring. He batted .215 and fielded .950 in the middle infield. Shortstop will see either sophomore Jameson Embrescia (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora) or freshman Brett Hamel (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) get the opening day start. Embrescia made 12 starts last year fielding .943 as a freshman. 
 
DeCello returns to the hot corner after splitting time between second and third last year. He batted .245 with six doubles. Fiehrer will also see time at third base after hitting .224 in 2025. Wilson and Rothlisberger could also play some at third base.
 
Rothlisberger will see action in the outfield as well after batting .254 in 15 starts last year. Joining Rothlisberger in the outfield will be junior Bradley Jones (Louisville, Ky./Ferncreek), sophomores Zack Molloy (Chambersburg, Pa./Saint James) and Michael Ciavolella (Tallmadge, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban), and freshman Trevor Hall (Fishers, Ind./Fishers). Jones did not see any varsity action in 2025 but did have limited at bats as a freshman. Molloy played in four games a year ago and Ciavolella is a transfer from Eastern Michigan University. 
 
Marietta opens the 2026 season on Thursday (Feb. 19) in the D3 Showcase against No. 13 ranked Cortland State. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. The Etta Express will play four games in the Showcase with games against Christopher Newport on Friday, No. 6 Lynchburg on Saturday, and No. 5 Salisbury on Sunday.
 
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.