GRANVILLE, Ohio — The Marietta College baseball team split a pair of nonconference games Sunday (Apr. 12) afternoon on the campus of Denison University. The Pioneers lost to No. 1 ranked Denison, 10-2, and then bounced back to beat Anderson, 7-6.
 
Marietta is now 8-15 on the season. Denison, winners of 23 straight games, is now 24-1 overall. Anderson moves to 17-12-1 overall.
 
Diego DeCello (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) had a pinch-hit single in the top of the ninth inning driving in Evan Wilson (Charleston, W.Va./Capital) with the winning run against Anderson. DeCello was called on after Drew McKenna (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) was injured on a pitch that hit his hand on a foul ball. Wilson walked to leadoff the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. He came around to score on DeCello's single through the left side of the infield.
 
McKenna scored Marietta's first run of the game with a solo home run in the top of the second. The Pioneers added three runs in the third and two more in the fourth. Cam Coleman (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) delivered a two-run single in the third and Bradley Jones (Louisville, Ky./Ferncreek) and Michael Ciavolella (Tallmadge, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) each plated a run in the fourth.
 
Anderson responded with two runs in the second, third and fifth innings. Kellan Bailey smacked a two-run home run in the third and Russell Weaver deposited a two-run shot over the fence in the fifth to tie the game, 6-6.
 
Alex Dues (Fort Recovery, Ohio/Fort Recovery) (1-0) picked up the win in relief. Dues worked 3.2 shutout innings allowing just three hits. Evan Wilson (Charleston, W.Va./Capital) earned his first save by getting a double play on the first batter he faced and striking out the second to end the game. Cooper Fiehrer (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) started and allowed two runs on five hits in 2.0 innings. Brayden Wells (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) was charged with four runs on five hits in 2.1 innings.
 
Anderson used eight different pitchers in the game. Rex Richter started and allowed one run on one hit with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work. Leo McEnulty (1-2) was tagged with the loss allowing one run on one hit in 1.0 inning of work.
 
McKenna finished 3-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored. Jones had a pair of hits, while Ciavolella and Coleman each drove in two runs.
 
Against top-ranked Denison, the Pioneers allowed two big innings as the Big Red scored five runs in the fourth and five more in the eighth. Kelly Crittenberger got Denison on the board with a three-run home run to left center in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Cade Nowik had a two-run single to start the eighth inning rally for Denison. Eron Vega had an RBI single and Jack Lutte lined a two-run double down the left field line to cap the inning.
 
Marietta got on the board in the sixth on an RBI single from Zack Molloy (Chambersburg, Pa./Saint James). Evan King (Waynesville, Ohio/Springboro) drove in the Pioneers' other run with a sac fly in the seventh.
 
Reece Rupert (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland) (0-1) started and got the loss. He gave up five runs, four earned, on five hits in 4.0 innings. Three other Pioneers toed the rubber in the game.
 
Mahoney Daunic (2-0) started and got the win working 5.2 innings for the Big Red. He allowed one run on three hits. Denison used five other pitchers in the game.
 
Molloy was the lone Pioneer with multiple hits in the game finishing 3-for-4.
 
Marietta plays at Baldwin Wallace on Saturday (Apr. 18). The first game is scheduled to start 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.