COLUMBUS, Ohio — The No. 15 ranked Marietta College baseball team put on another impressive offensive display as the Etta Express downed Capital University 14-5 and 24-0 Sunday (March 14) afternoon. With the four-game sweep, the Pioneers improve to 4-0 overall and 4-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Capital slips to 0-4 overall and 0-4 in the OAC.
"This weekend was a good start to the new season. We played well in every phase of the game and we got to play a lot people," Said Marietta head coach Brian Brewer. "We have several things to work on before we take on Ohio Northern next weekend."
It took a couple of innings to get rolling in the first game, but the Etta Express put seven runs on the board in the top of the third inning. Zach Boyd got things started with a one-out double down the left field line. After walks to Logan Vietmeier and Drew Holderbach loaded the bases, Trent Castle delivered a two-run single to left.
Brady Cottom and Drew Wilkinson each drove in a run and then Turner Hill followed with a two-run single to left. Hill stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored the seventh run on a second wild pitch.
Marietta added runs in each of the next three innings and then plated one in the eighth inning for the 14-5 win.
Boyd finished 3-for-5 with two doubles, a pair of runs batted in and two runs scored. Hill had two hits in the game, drove in two and scored three times. Castle had three RBI and Wilkinson had two.
Dalton Wiggins (1-0) started on the mound and got the win. He worked 6.0 innings and gave up three runs on nine hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Michael Reeder allowed two runs on three hits in 1.0 inning of work, while Mitchell Louis threw 2.0 shutout innings to close the game.
Jared Heidecker (0-1) started for Capital and took the loss. He gave up seven runs, two earned, on four hits in 2.2 innings. Four other Crusaders threw in relief.
Marietta scored early and often in game two. The Pioneers sent 15 hitters to the plate in the top of the first inning plating 10 runs in the frame. The Etta Express added seven more runs in the second inning when they sent 13 more hitters to the plate. All told, the Pioneers collected 25 hits in the game.
Jacob Thieman went 4-for-5 with a double, home run, three RBI and four runs scored. Jared Weiss was 4-for-6 with an RBI and three runs scored. Damian Yenzi, Dylan Albright and Cottom each had three hits in the game, while Hill, Boyd and Nate Rentas had two hits apiece.
Sam Mathews (1-0) started on the mound and threw 4.0 shutout innings for the win. He allowed two hits, no walks and struck out five. John Stover tossed 2.0 inning and gave up one hits and struck out three, while Kail Hill allowed one hits in 1.0 inning of work.
Bryant Caporale (0-2) took the loss after surrendering 17 runs on 14 hits in 1.1 innings of work. Kyle Bowles, Spencer Knight and Ben Hatfield all pitched in relief for the Crusaders.
Marietta hosts Ohio Northern next Saturday (March 20) for an OAC doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.