PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The No. 18 ranked Etta Express swept a non-conference doubleheader at La Roche College Thursday (March 19) afternoon. The Pioneers took the first game by the score of 7-5 and completed the sweep with a 10-8 victory in the second game. Marietta improves to 8-4 on the season, while La Roche falls to 6-5 overall.

In game one, La Roche senior Tyler Ferguson walked the first three Pioneer batters to load the bases. Chris Winpigler grounded into a double play but Tim McCoy scored on the play. A fielding error led to a second Marietta run giving the Etta Express an early 2-0 lead.

Winpigler made it 4-0 with a two-out, two-run double in the fifth. Marietta added another in the sixth on an RBI ground out by Christian Demko.

Sophomore Tyler Nieberding started on the mound for the Pioneers and cruised through the first five innings scattering three hits. The Redhawks finally got to Nieberding in the sixth innings collecting five runs on four base hits. The big blow was a three-run home run from Colin Williamson off of Pioneer reliever Mitch McNabb. Nieberding worked 5.1 innings and gave up four runs on six hits.

The Express answered right back with two runs in the top of the seventh. Mitch Geers reached reached on a single and later scored on a sac fly off the bat of Chris Petrucci. A bases loaded walk to Brandon Papp plated Tyler Packanik.

Marietta skipper Brian Brewer turned the game over to staff ace Christian Herstine to preserve the win. Herstine picked up the save with 2.0 innings of shutout relief. McNabb (1-0) got the win. McNabb tossed 1.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits. Freshman Derek Varner struck out the one batter he faced.

Ferguson (1-1) took the loss. He pitched 6.2 innings and was charged with seven runs on seven hits. Brady Hamer threw 2.1 innings of relief and allowed no runs on two hits.

Winpigler, Petrucci and Geers each had two hits for the Pioneers.

Marietta had to come from behind in the second game. The Pioneers plated seven runs in the eighth inning to take an 8-7 lead. The big blow was a grand slam from Ryan Hanahan. Geers drove in two with a single and Winpigler knocked in one with a single to right field in the rally.

Freshman Austin Eaton started on the mound for the Pioneers and worked 4.2 innings. He gave up five runs on five base hits. Senior Mike Fulton (1-2) came in and picked up the win, while Tommy Crowl earned his first save.

Fulton tossed 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits. Crowl threw the ninth and gave up one unearned run on one hit.

La Roche scored two in the bottom of the third and added three more in the fifth for a 5-1 lead. They pushed the margin to 7-1 with two more in the seventh before the Etta Express came roaring back in the top of the eighth.

Tanner Wilt, a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh, started on the mound for the Redhawks and was dominating in 6.0 innings of work. He retired the first 10 Pioneer hitters of the game and go on to scatter four hits and allow only one run.

David Lemely (0-2) took the loss. Lemely threw 1.0 inning and allowed three runs on three hits. Walt Hadjuk and Cory Podvasnik each threw 1.0 inning of relief.

McCoy, Geers and Michael Barnabei each had two hits in the game for the Pioneers. Geers and Winpigler finished with two RBI each, while Hanahan drove in four with the home run.

Marietta opens Ohio Athletic Conference play at home this Saturday (March 21) with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader against Otterbein University.