UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – Pitching ruled the day as No. 6 ranked Marietta College split a doubleheader at John Carroll University Sunday (April 21) in Ohio Athletic Conference baseball action. The Pioneers took game one by the score of 2-1 and the Blue Streaks won the nightcap 3-2 in 11 innings.
Marietta moves to 21-8 overall and 11-3 in the OAC. The Blue Streaks are 20-11 on the season and 9-5 in league play.
Marietta freshman Jason Byers went toe to toe with John Carroll senior Patrick O'Brien in the first game and picked up the complete-game victory. Byers (4-2) scattered six hits walking one and striking six in 7.0 innings of work.
O'Brien (3-1), the OAC earned run average leader, worked 6.1 innings and was charged with two runs, one earned, on six hits. O'Brien struck out five and walked his first three batters of the season.
Junior Billy Turosky relieved O'Brien in the seventh and threw one pitch that resulted in an inning-ending double play.
Marietta got on the board in the third inning when sophomore shortstop Christian Demko led off with a walk, O'Brien's first of the season. Demko stole second and moved to third on a ground out by senior Jordan Grilliot.
First baseman Evan Brockmeier scored Demko with a sac fly to right for a 1-0 Pioneer lead.
An infield error led to Marietta's second run of the game. Junior designated hitter Josh Ungerbuehler reached on an error by the Blue Streak second baseman and moved to second on a wild pitch. Third baseman Bryan Gregorich delivered a two-out single scoring Ungerbuehler from second base.
John Carroll cut the lead in half in the sixth when center fielder Joe Veltri singled to left to start the inning. A wild pitch moved Veltri into coring position. Second baseman Bobby Sabatino followed with an RBI single.
Gregorich was the only hitter for either team to collect two hits finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Blue Streak sophomore Andrew Doring carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of the second game before allowing a lead off single to Brockmeier. Doring worked 9.0 innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on just three base hits. He struck out eight and didn't issue a walk.
Senior Mike Mulvey was equally impressive tossing 9.0 innings and giving up two unearned runs on five hits. Mulvey walked one and had six strikeouts.
John Carroll grabbed the lead in the fifth inning. Connor Marrero led off with a single to left and moved to second when the Pioneer outfielder muffed the ball. JCU sacrificed Marrero to third where he scored on a ground out by Sabatino.
A defensive miscue by the Blue Streaks allowed the Pioneers to even the score, 1-1, in the seventh. Brockmeier led off with a single up the middle and was sacrificed to second. Senior Alex Toth's ground ball to third was misplayed allowing Brockmeier to come around and score.
Brockmeier and Toth put Marietta ahead in the ninth. Brockmeier reached on a one-out single and promptly stole second base. Following a strikeout, Toth smacked a single through the left side of the infield scoring Brockmeier.
Marietta returned the favor in the bottom of the inning allowing Jimmy Spagna to reach second base on an error to start the ninth. A ground out moved him to third where Ryan Konsler executed the squeeze bunt to tie the game, 2-2, and send it into extra innings.
Both teams went to the bullpen in the tenth. Sophomore Kevin Rosinski (2-1) took over for Doring and tossed 2.0 shutout innings for the win.
Brockmeier (4-2) took the loss for Marietta. Brockmeier worked 1.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits. He struck out one JCU hitter.
Designated hitter David Crowley singled to center to start the John Carroll eleventh. He moved to second on a wild pitch and was sacrificed to third. Konsler ripped a single up the middle scoring Crowley with the winning run.
Konsler went 3-for-5 with two RBI's and Marrero was 2-for-4. Brockmeier was the lone Pioneer with two hits in the game finishing 2-for-5.
Marietta is slated to play a non-conference game at Frostburg State University (Md.) on Wednesday (April 24) at 4:00 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.