CLEVELAND, Ohio – In a battle of nationally ranked opponents, Marietta College and Case Western Reserve University split a non-conference doubleheader Sunday (April 6) afternoon. The No. 21-ranked Spartans won the first game, 10-5, while the No. 18-ranked Pioneers took the nitecap, 9-1.

Case Western (18-6 overall) jumped on the Pioneers for five runs in the bottom of the second inning of game one and never looked back. The Spartans pushed their lead to 8-1 in the fifth inning and finished with 15 hits in the game.

Marietta (15-9 overall) scored four runs over the final three innings but left runners on base in each frame, including the bases loaded in the seventh. Junior Ryan Hanahan continued to swing the hot bat for the Pioneers going 2-for-3 with a double, triple and two runs scored.

Left fielder Josh Ungerbuehler, third baseman Clint Roche and shortstop Christian Demko each collected two hits in the game as Marietta had 12 total. Roche and right fielder Zach Bukiewicz drove in two runs apiece.

Freshman Tommy Crowl (1-1) started on the mound for the Pioneers and worked 3.0 innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts. Sophomore Forrest Kirsch and freshman Ryan Annett threw in relief.

John Fortunato (5-1) started and pitched 6.2 innings to get the win for Case. Fortunato gave up three runs on eight hits. He walked two ad struck out four. Connor Tagg worked the final 2.1 innings and allowed two runs.

The top of the batting order propelled the Pioneers to the game two victory. Marietta's first three hitters went a combined 8-for-13. Ungerbuehler finished 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles.

Marietta scored twice in the first inning and added single runs in the fourth and fifth before exploding for five runs in the eighth. The Pioneers sent 10 hitters to the plate in the eighth inning and led 9-0 at the end of the rally.

Denko lined a two-run single to right, while Mitch Geers and Ungerbuehler each drove in a run with a single up the middle.

Freshman Tyler Nieberding (3-0) had a strong outing on the mound. Nieberding scattered seven hits and allowed just one run in 8.0 innings of work. He struck out three. Fellow rookie Jim Luyster pitched the ninth.

Case used five different pitchers in the game. Starter Kevin Johnstone (3-2) took the loss. He was charged with three runs on five hits in 4.0 innings of work. Johnstone walked two and struck out four.

Demko finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI. Geers was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. In addition to the two base hits, Geers was hit by a pitch and walked once to reach base safely four times in the game.

Marietta is back in action on Wednesday (April 9) in a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader at the University of Mount Union.