No. 4 Marietta defeats Montclair State 11-2

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MARIETTA, Ohio — Senior Brian Gasser (New Philadelphia/Indian Valley) threw six and one-third innings of no-hit baseball and junior Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance) finished 4-for-5 to lead No. 4 Marietta College to an 11-2 victory over visiting Montclair State University Sunday (March 27) at Don Schaly Stadium. [Box Score]

Sunday's non-conference match-up featured two of the top NCAA Division III baseball programs of all-time. Four-time national champion Marietta (1981, 1983, 1986, 2006) improved to 14-2, while three-time national champion Montclair State (1987, 1993, 2000) fell to 6-5.

Gasser, who moved to a team-best 5-0 on the season, scatted two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out eight in seven innings of action.

Marietta's offense produced 16 hits and stole a season-high 10 bases while the Pioneer defense played an errorless game. Montclair State finished with just two hits and made one error in the loss.

Saunders had four stolen bases to go along with his four hits. Senior John Snyder (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI, while junior Kirby Becker (South Euclid/St. Ignatius) and sophomore Jordan Grilliot (Brookville/Northmont) both added two hits and two stolen bases.

The Etta Express took control with a four-run third. Becker, Snyder and senior Britt Meador (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) had RBI singles, while sophomore Aaron Hopper (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg) drove in another run with a ground out.

Saunders added another RBI single and Snyder a sacrifice fly in the fourth to extend the Pioneers' advantage to 6-0.

Montclair State broke up Gasser's no-hit bid with a one-out double from Anthony Bowens in the seventh. Cody Pace followed with another double to plate a pair of runs and make the score 7-2.

The Pioneers padded their lead with a three-run eighth. Saunders drove in a run with his fourth hit of the game. Becker followed with a RBI single and Snyder a RBI double to give Marietta the 11-2 win.

Senior Mark Williams (Fayetteville/Perry) worked a perfect eighth, striking out two, while junior closer Kyle Lindquist (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) retired all three of his hitters in the ninth.

Sean Hille suffered the loss for the Red Hawks after he gave up six runs on eight hits in three and one-third frames.

Marietta returns to action at 6 p.m. Thursday (March 31) when it visits Washington, Pa., for a single, nine-inning game against regional rival Washington & Jefferson College.