MARIETTA, Ohio - A one hour, thirty six minute weather delay, a four-run sixth inning for Otterbein University and some great defensive plays by the Cardinals all combined to hand the Marietta College Pioneers their first loss in OAC Tournament play since 2010, by a score of 7-1.
In the top of the sixth inning Otterbein broke a 1-1 tie. A Kent single started the rally. Billy Harkenrider doubled and after an intentional walk to Wes Meadows, Sean Kettering ripped a three-run double into center field to give the Cardinals a 4-1 lead. With two outs in the inning Kettering scored on a Ty Compton single to cap off the four-run inning. The Cardinals tacked on two more runs in 9th inning to make the final margin.
The loss drops the top seeded Pioneers to 28-11 on the season. The win takes the fourth seeded Cardinals to a mark of 25-15 on the year. The win earns the Cardinals a trip into the winner's bracket and a match up with Mount Union, a 7-3 winner over John Carroll. Marietta College will face off with John Carroll in the loser's bracket.
The win on the hill goes to David Cydrus (4-3) who came on in relief of Adam Collier after the weather delay. Cydrus went 4.2 innings, allowing three hits and striking out three.
"David is a strike thrower," Otterbein coach George Powell said. "So you have to earn what you get."
Evan Brockmeier (4-4), who relieved starter Jason Byers, was tagged with the loss for the Pioneers. Brockmeier pitched three innings, allowing four runs on seven hits.
The first batter of the game for Otterbein, Tyler Kent, reached base after being hit by a pitch on a 1-2 count. After advancing to second Wes Meadows brought Kent in to give the Cardinals an early lead. Marietta tried to answer in the home half of the first, but had a lead off walk foiled when Collier, picked off Jordan Grilliot at first base.
Marietta erased the one-run lead in the second frame. Chris Winpigler reached on a fielder's choice and two batters later, Bryan Gregorich doubled, advancing Winpigler to third base. On the next at bat Winpigler scampered home a wild pitch to knot the game at one apiece.
In the ninth inning, the Otterbein rally started just as the first inning started with a hit batter. Then a single by Kent and a Harkenrider walk and Meadows singled up the middle to plate the last two Cardinal runs.
Wes Meadows is also chasing Otterbein history. With his 3-for-4 performance Meadows now sits only one hit shy of tying the career hit record which sits 209. With two hits Meadows would hold the record all by himself.
It wasn't as if the Pioneers didn't have chances, they just couldn't cash in on those chances. The Pioneers stranded 10 runners on base.
"Overall, they were more aggressive than us," Marietta College head coach Brain Brewer said. "Maybe they were a little bit more excited to be here."
The winner's bracket game will start at 11:00 a.m. that will feature the University of Mount Union vs. Otterbein University and the loser's bracket will begin at approximately 2:00 p.m. and that will have Marietta College face off with John Carroll University.
Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter.