GRAND CHUTE, Wis. — Make some room in the Don Schaly Lobby. Marietta College baseball is bringing home a record fifth NCAA Division III Championship trophy.
The No. 1 Etta Express captured the 2011 national title Tuesday (May 31) with an 18-5 victory over No. 9 Chapman University at Fox Cities Stadium. [Box Score]
The nation's winningest program is now the sole leader in NCAA Division III baseball championships as the 2011 edition joins the 1981, 1983, 1986 and 2006 squads in forever being known as national champions.
"We consider ourselves to be the best division III baseball program in the country and now that we have more than anyone else, I guess we can brag a little bit more," Head Coach Brian Brewer said. "We respect everybody. It's nice to get five but it's an experience within itself."
The trek to the national title didn't come without adversity as Chapman forced the "if necessary" game by slugging past Marietta 15-4 in the day's opener. [Box Score] The Panthers snapped the Pioneers' 22-game win streak but that only delayed the celebration a few more hours.
"We talked about it in the morning and we talked about it in between games, the longer the day went the bigger our advantage," Brewer said. "We stayed patient and jumped on them pretty early game two. Austin (Blaski) was lights out, and we played our game. Really proud of our guys. Special day for Marietta College baseball."
Junior All-American Austin Blaski (Pandora/Gilboa) took the hill looking to slow down a Chapman offense that exploded for 17 hits, including nine doubles, just 30 minutes earlier. Blaski (12-2) rose to the challenge and held the Panthers to one run on two hits and struck out four over six innings to earn the victory and Tournament Most Valuable Players honors.
"The first time (against Chapman) I had some success," Blaski said. "The early runs really helped and allows you to pound the zone. I got a lot of early swings, the ball was put in play so I think that really helped as well."
The Etta Express scored early and often against the tired Panther pitchers, which included a starter that threw a complete game on Sunday and another player that threw eight and one-third inning in the Pioneers' 9-4 win over Chapman Saturday.
Sophomore All-Tournament selection Aaron Hopper (Wheelersburg/Wheelersburg) ignited the Pioneer offense with a two-out, two-run double over the center fielder's head in the top of the first inning.
Chapman answered with a triple and a RBI ground out in the second. The ground out, however, began a span of 12 straight hitters to be put down by Blaski. The streak lasted until the sixth.
Marietta's offense, meanwhile, exploded for seven runs in the third inning, added three runs in both the fourth and fifth and plated another run in the sixth to take a commanding 16-1 advantage.
The Pioneers added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth to secure a spot in the national record book as the team to score the second most runs ever in a championship game. Only the 1983 national champion Etta Express scored more as it posted a 36-8 win over Otterbein at Don Schaly Stadium.
Chapman tacked on a pair of runs in both the seventh and ninth, before junior closer Kyle Lindquist (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) induced a ground ball that junior second baseman Kirby Becker (South Euclid/St. Ignatius) scooped up and fired to senior first baseman Casey Levens (Dayton/Centerville) to spark the victory celebration.
Marietta finished with 17 hits in the final game, including four from Hopper, three from both senior All-American center fielder John Snyder (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) and sophomore left fielder Jordan Grilliot (Brookville/Northmont) as well as two from junior All-American shortstop Tim Saunders (Alliance/Alliance) and sophomore third baseman Bryan Gregorich (Chardon/Chardon).
Saunders, Snyder, senior All-American Mark Williams (Fayetteville/Perry) and junior Mike Mahaffey (Worthington/Bishop Watterson) joined Hopper and MVP Blaski on the 2011 All-Tournament Team.
Marietta's four seniors—Levens, Snyder, Williams and Britt Meador (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne)—entered the year as the only class since 1975 to have not played in a World Series. Thanks to their hard work and leadership, they will gladly trade in the pinstripes for the final time tomorrow morning knowing that in return they will soon be getting a championship ring.
Note: Fans wanting to greet the national champion Pioneers when they return to Marietta around 9 a.m. tomorrow, can welcome them home with the one of the following printable Cheer Cards. Option 1 • Option 2 • Option 3