MARIETTA, Ohio - The Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jackets avenged a Thursday afternoon loss by defeating the Marietta College Pioneers 6-1 in an elimination game at Don Schaly Stadium Friday (May 09) evening.

"We had great start yesterday and weren't able to finish that start," Baldwin Wallace head coach Brian Harrison said. "Today we got a great start from Logan (Hefferman) and put us in a great position to win."

The win puts Baldwin Wallace (24-17 overall) in the Championship game against John Carroll University at noon on Saturday. It will be the first time these two clubs have ever met in the Championship of the OAC Baseball Tournament.

The loss drops the Pioneers mark to 29-14 on the season. Their fate now sits in the hands of the NCAA selection committee. Marietta will have to rely on an at-large bid to compete in the Mideast Regional Baseball Tournament. The Pioneers were the top ranked team in the region heading into the tournament.

Marietta head coach Brian Brewer hopes the strength of the conference will help his squad earn an at-large bid. "It's a testament to the conference," Brewer said. "I think it's by far the best conference in the region and one the best two or three in the country."

Baldwin Wallace threw freshmen Logan Hefferman against the Pioneers and the freshmen performed in a dominating fashion.  Hefferman (3-3), picked up the win, going eight innings giving up one run on six hits while walking two and striking out five. Tyler Niederding (4-2) picked up the loss for the Pioneers.

"I was really, really, really happy with my performance," Hefferman said. "I did it for the seniors. I wanted to give my best for them."

Marietta drew first blood in the contest with a run in the first inning. Christian Demko doubled to lead off the game, stole third and scored on a throwing error. It would prove to be the only run the Pioneers would muster in the ballgame.

Baldwin Wallace quickly erased the Marietta lead. In the top half of the second inning, Alex green grounded a ball to shortstop that was momentarily bobbled and prevented the Pioneers from turning an inning-ending double play and allowed Hiller to score, knotting the game at 1 apiece. The very next batter Brad Gugliotta singled in Kory Gillisie to give BW a lead it would never give up.

The Yellow Jackets tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning when Green drilled a ball over the right field fence to give Baldwin Wallace a three-run edge. Another was added to the lead in fifth frame to make the Baldwin Wallace advantage 5-1.

Marietta College had its best chance cut into the lead in the sixth inning. The first two men reached base, but a fly out, a pop out and a groundball out stranded two men on base. The Pioneers left seven men on base throughout the game.