PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The mentor got the best of his mentee as Marietta College defeated Denison University 14-2 Monday (March 11) afternoon in the Snowbird Baseball Classic.
Former Marietta College assistant coach Mike Deegan is in his first year at the helm of the Big Red program. Deegan was an assistant under Marietta head coach Brian Brewer for nine years helping lead the Etta Express to three National Championships.
Marietta (4-1 overall) scored in each of the first six innings and outhit the Big Red 14-6. Denison (0-2 overall) scored a run in the second and sixth innings.
Sophomore Stephen Bascom (2-0) overcame some early control issues to pick up his second win of the season. Bascom threw 6.0 innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits. He walked three and struck out four.
Freshman Jordan Carithers made his debut in the Pinstripes pitching the seventh inning. Carithers allowed one base hit and had one strikeout.
The Pioneers got on the board in the top of the first. Seniors Jordan Grilliot and Evan Brockmeier singled to start the inning. Aaron Hopper grounded the ball to the shortstop who went for the double play. Brockmeier was out at second base, but the relay throw to first was high allowing Grilliot to score.
Marietta added a run in the second on a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman Ryan Hanahan.
The Etta Express then started to widen the gap with three in the third, two in fourth and three more in the fifth. The Pioneers added four more runs in the top of the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.
Grilliot went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and a double to lead the Pioneers. Junior designated hitter Josh Ungerbuehler was 3-for-5 with a pair of runs driven in.
Senior center fielder Aaron Hopper was 2-for-4 with a triple, three runs scored and two RBI. Brockmeier had two hits in three at bats.
Sophomore right fielder Charlie Apfelbach led the Big Red going 3-for-3 with a double.
Sophomore Ian Barry (0-1) took the loss pitching 3.2 innings and giving up seven runs, five earned, on six hits. Barry walked three and struck out one.
Marietta plays Salem State University (Mass.) tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter.