PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida — Damian Yenzi accounted for four of Marietta College's five runs as the Etta Express knocked off No. 24 ranked Kean University, 5-3, Wednesday (March 13) afternoon in their final game at the Snowbird Baseball Classic.
Yenzi, the Pioneer third baseman, had base hits in his first three plate appearances driving in three runs and scoring another. He finished the game 3-for-4 with a walk, three runs batted in, a run scored and a stolen base.
Freshman second baseman Drew Holderbach went 2-for-3 with a runs scored, while catcher Brady Cottom walked three times and score three runs. Left fielder Jonathan Pingree had the lone Pioneer extra base hit with a double. Trent Castle and Drew Wilkinson drove in the other two Marietta runs in the game.
Sophomore John Stover (1-0) made the most of his first collegiate start picking up the win with a solid 4.0 innings on the mound. He scattered six hits and allowed just two runs. Stover did not walk a batter and had one strikeout.
Easton Berry took over for Stover and allowed one run on two hits in 1.1 innings of work. He struck out one. Freshman Sam Mathews notched his first save with 3.2 innings of shutout relief. He gave up three hits and struck out two.
Yenzi led off the game with a line drive single to left field. Following a pair of fly outs, Pingree reached on an error moving Yenzi to second. Castle followed with an RBI single through the left side of the infield for a 1-0 Pioneer lead.
Cottom got things rolling in the second with a leadoff walk and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Holderbach sacrificed Cottom to third where he scored on a Yenzi single.
Kean cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the second only to see Yenzi drive in a pair of runs in the fourth.
Cottom triggered the rally working a one-out base on balls. Holderbach singled and Drew Wilkinson sacrificed both runners to second and third. Yenzi followed with a two-run single up the middle.
Kean struggled to get multiple runners on base all game and settled for single runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings.
Marietta scored an insurance run in the top of the sixth. Once again it was Cottom getting things started. This time he was hit by a pitch. Holderbach singled through the right side of the infield moving Cottom to third where he would score on a base hit from Wilkinson.
Christopher Rossi (1-1) started and took the loss for Kean. He threw 5.0 innings and gave up five runs on six hits. Rossi walked two and struck out four Pioneers. Justin Hernandez tossed 1.2 innings and gave up two hits and a pair of walks, while RJ Jobin worked 2.1 innings and walked one.
Marietta travels to Berry College in Mount Berry, Georgia for three games this weekend. Up first for the Pioneers is a 6 p.m. game against No. 16 ranked Cortland on Friday (March 15).