MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Returning home with three straight quality wins from the Rhodes Classic is just how eighth-year Head Coach Brian Brewer's #12 Marietta College baseball team wanted to start the 2011 season. The Pioneers reached that goal when they wrapped up their two-day road trip with a 9-2 victory over Emory (Ga.) University Sunday (Feb. 27) afternoon.

After defeating Maryville (Tenn.) College 5-0 and host Rhodes (Tenn.) College 4-1 on Saturday (Feb. 26), the Etta Express out hit Emory (7-4) 10-7 and used a pair of four-run innings to improve to 3-0 on the season.

A walk, three straight hit batters and another base on balls produced the first two Pioneer runs in the second inning. Senior Britt Meador (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) then hit a two-run double to give Marietta a 4-0 lead after two frames. Meador finished 2-for-4 with four RBI.

The Etta Express added four more runs in the sixth. Junior Kirby Becker (South Euclid/St. Ignatius) drew a bases loaded walk to pick up the first RBI. Meador drove in two more runs with a single through the left side. Becker then scored the final run of the inning on a throwing error.

A RBI single from sophomore Evan Brockmeier (Marietta/Marietta) helped the Pioneers extend their advantage to 9-0 in the seventh. Brockmeier went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Emory broke the shutout with a two-out single from Kevin O'Connor in the bottom of the eighth and added a second run on a RBI single from Maxim Sanley.

Junior Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance) added two hits for the Etta Express in the victory.

Senior Brian Gasser (New Philadelphia/Indian Valley) provided Marietta's third straight dominating start on the mound as he scattered two hits and two walks while striking out five in six innings to earn the win. Junior Logan Lewis (Nashport/Tri-Valley) threw a scoreless seventh, while junior Luke Langdon (Troy/Troy) and sophomore Michael Mulvey (Glenshaw, Pa./North Catholic) both allowed one run in their inning of action.

Chris Monaco took the loss after giving up four runs on one hit in one and one-third inning. Four walks and three hit batters hurt him on Sunday.

Marietta resumes its season Saturday (March 5) when it opens the Snowbird Classic with a 10 a.m. doubleheader against Adrian (Mich.) College. Fans can listen to the action on WMOA-AM 1490 and http://wmoa1490.com.