PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The #8 Etta Express continued its early season success with another victory at the Snowbird Classic Friday (March 11), this time a 14-8 win over the College of Mount St. Joseph. The Pioneers are now 8-1 on the year, while the Lions fall to 3-5.

Marietta took an early 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the second before the Lions responded in the third with three runs, cutting the Pioneer lead to one at 4-3. After a one-run third for the Pioneers, the Lions scored two more to tie the game at 5-5 through three and half innings. Marietta put up another four run inning in the bottom of the fourth to put the score at 9-5 in favor of the Etta Express.

The Lions would not go away, however, scoring three in the fifth and it trailed by one once again at 9-8. The Pioneer pitching staff finally slowed the Lion offensive burst, allowing no more runs the rest of the way. Marietta, meanwhile, added five more runs down the stretch to win by six, 14-8.

Senior Mark Williams (Fayetteville/Perry) started the game for the Etta Express and went three and one-third innings, giving up five runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks. Sophomore Luke Langdon (Troy/Troy) came in relief of Williams and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out one and walking one in one and two-thirds innings. Junior Kyle Lindquist (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) earned the win for the Pioneers by pitching three innings and giving up no runs on two hits with three strikeouts. Sophomore Michael Mulvey (Glenshaw, Pa./North Catholic) came in to pitch a scoreless ninth for the Etta Express.

Senior John Snyder (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) led the way for Marietta offensively with a career-high five hits in six at-bat. He finished with two doubles, one RBI and a run scored. Sophomores Evan Brockmeier (Marietta/Marietta) and Aaron Hopper (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg) both added three hits on the afternoon. Senior Casey Levens (Dayton/Centerville) also had a three-hit afternoon, going 3-for-6 with two doubles.

Marietta finished the game with 20 hits on the day, seven of which went for extra bases.

The Etta Express will close out its time at the Snowbird Classic with a doubleheader at 10 a.m. Saturday (March 12) against Carthage College.