AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The 19th ranked Marietta College baseball team spilt its opening day in dramatic fashion on its annual Florida trip today by defeating St John Fisher 6-5 in game one of the doubleheader and losing game two 3-2.  Both games ended in walk off fashion and the Pioneers took the first game in the bottom of the 10th and St John Fisher returned the favor in game two in the bottom of the 9th.  The game one win marked a milestone as it was Manager Brian Brewers 500th win.

Game one was dominated by pitching as Pioneer ace Christian Herstine pitched seven strong innings of two hit, six strikeout ball.  While Herstine was making quick work of the Cardinals the Etta Express were patiently putting runners on base against Cardinal starter Stephen Lewis.  The breakthrough finally came in the bottom of the fifth with Alex Bower starting the rally with a single.  Bower quickly stole second was brought home by Chris Petrucci's double.

The lead quickly doubled as Petrucci stole third and came home as the throw from the catcher Jack Vivinetto sailed into left field.  Tim McCoy followed the error with a single to right and advanced to third on Tyler Packanik's right field double.  Lewis, now rattled, hit Shane Fetsko with a pitch to load the bases.  McCoy then came home on a sacrifice fly by Mike Hale, but the Cardinals escaped further damage when Michael Barnabei grounded out to short to end the inning.

The Pioneers added a run in the bottom of the sixth and seemed to have the game in control, but St John Fisher took a pitching change when David Stover took over for Herstine.  He was greeted by an infield single by Ryan Prevost, followed by a Pioneer error that allowed Evan Ryan to reach and move Prevost to second.  A base hit by Cody Wiktorski plated the first run.  A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners and both were brought home by a double to center by Mike Roman.  Stover got the second out before St John Fisher tied the game with Nate Roethel's single to center.  Stover then retired the side with a grounder to short.

St John Fisher took its first lead in the top of the ninth as Wiktorski doubled home Jack Vivinetto who had reached earlier on a walk.  With three outs remaining the Pioneers started the comeback as McCoy worked a walk.  McCoy was sacrificed to second by Packanik.  St John Fisher immediately changed pitchers bringing in closer Kevin Berge.  Shane Fetsko quickly reached on an error and the pressure mounted on Berge.  Marietta tied the game when Mike Hale singled to left that brought home McCoy who was safe on a close play at the plate.  Fetsko was thrown out at third trying to advance during the confusion on the play at the plate.  Berge retired the side but the damage was done, the game was tied and the momentum was on Marietta's side.

The Pioneers won the game in the bottom of the 10th in walk off fashion when Petrucci ripped a shot down the left field line that drove home Brandon Papp who had walked to start the rally.  Papp was advanced to second on an important sacrifice bunt by Eric White which set up Petrucci's heroics and gave Brewer his 500th career win in his 16th season as a manager.

Stover picked up the win improving to 3-0 on the young season.  Berge was saddled with the loss falling to 0-2 on the year.

Game two was more of a pitcher duel as Marietta's Tommy Crowl crafted six innings of one run pitching and Cardinal's Terry Engel's nearly matched him with six innings of two run pitching.

Marietta struck first in the third inning when Eric White singled to center and was brought home when McCoy ripped a triple into the gap in right center.  Despite having a runner on third with less than two outs the Pioneers couldn't bring him home and had to settle for the 1-0 lead.

St John Fisher tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Tom Kline lead off with a single and advanced to third on a Pioneer throwing error on a Cardinal sacrifice bunt.   Crowl got the next two batters to strike out but Wiktorski proved to be a difficult out as he doubled in Kline with a shot to left field.  Crowl escaped further damage with a ground out, but the game was now tied.

The Etta Express came right back to take the lead in the top of the sixth when Michael Barnabei led off the inning with a double to left.  Fetsko laid down the sacrifice bunt to advance Barnabei to third.  He quickly came home on Engel's wild pitch and the Pioneers lead was restored.

Mitch McNabb relieved Crowl to start the seventh inning and ran into trouble when Prevost ripped a one out triple to center field.  Ryan brought Prevost home and tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center.

St John Fisher began the winning rally in bottom of the ninth when Victor Konstantinovsky singled to center.  Prevost followed that hit with one of his own and Konstantinovsky went to third, but critically Prevost was able to make it to second on the throw.  With the double play no longer an option the Cardinals won the game when Ryan bounced a single over the drawn in Petrucci that plated Konstantinovsky.  

The story of the game was that the Pioneers left eight men on base and struck out 10 times including three in a row with bases loaded in the top of the fourth.  Taking the loss was McNabb who fell to 1-1 on the season.  Loukas Bingham picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief pitching.

The Etta Express return to the field Monday morning when they take on the 22nd ranked Wartburg College.  First pitch is scheduled for 9:00 am.