LEXINGTON, South Carolina — Back-to-back throwing errors by Johnson & Wales allowed Zack Molloy (Chambersburg, Pa./Saint James) to score the winning run for Marietta College in a 9-8 victory Friday (Mar. 13) afternoon. The Pioneers move to 2-8 overall, while the Wildcats fall to 2-6 on the season.
 
Molloy led off the top of the ninth with an infield single to second. A sac bunt from Cam Coleman (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) moved Molloy into scoring position. Following a ground out, Ben Pierce (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) reached on a throwing error by the third baseman moving Molloy to third. Jameson Embrescia (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora) grounded to short, but the throw was wild allowing Molloy to score the winning run.
 
Evan Wilson (Charleston, W.Va./Capital) (1-0) retired the Wildcats in order in the bottom of the ninth. Wilson got the win throwing 4.0 innings of relief allowing one run on two hits. Josh Pedersen (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) started and worked 5.0 innings giving up seven runs, five earned, on six hits. He walked two and struck out three.
 
Max Randazzo started for the Wildcats and struck out 10 Pioneers in 6.0 innings pitched. He allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits and walked a pair. Jake Scharlat gave up three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Michael Cobb (0-1) took the loss working 2.1 innings and giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits.
 
Johnson & Wales scored twice in the first and second innings for the early lead. Jack Obert hit a two-run home run in the first and then smacked a two-run single in the second.
 
Trevor Hall (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) got Marietta on the board with a sac fly in the fifth. Michael Ciavolella (Tallmadge, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) added another with an RBI double to right.  The Wildcats answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and led 7-2.
 
Bryce Bogan (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) drove in a run in the sixth and another JWU error led to a second run in the inning. Shane Rothlisberger (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) delivered a pinch hit two-run single in the seventh and Cooper Fiehrer (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) drove in another run with a sac fly to tie the game, 7-7.
 
The Pioneers took the lead for the first time in the game when Ciavolellla lined an RBI triple to the wall in right center scoring Embrescia, who reached on a base hit.
 
Marietta's lead didn't last long as Diego Taveras led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to right field.
 
Ciavolella went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple for the Pioneers. Embrescia finished with three singles, while Molloy and Coleman each had two hits.
 
Marietta heads back to Georgia to play No. 4 ranked Belhaven University on Saturday (Mar. 14) at Berry College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 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.