WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Back to back doubles to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning gave Rhodes College a thrilling 9-8 come from behind victory over Marietta College Wednesday (March 9) afternoon. The Etta Express finishes up in Florida with an overall record of 6-3, while the Lynx improve to 10-8 on the season.
Ryan Olive led off the final frame with a double to the wall in left field off of Pioneer reliever Tyler Paranzino. Levi Greenberg followed with a double to the wall in right center easily scoring Olive with the winning run. Greenberg finished the day 3-for-5 with two runs batted in.
Marietta jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Tim McCoy led the game off with a double down the left field line. Chris Petrucci sacrificed him to third and then Tyler Packanik grounded out to the right side of the infield allowing McCoy to scamper home.
Rhodes grabbed the lead in the home half of the third inning. Bill Munson stroked a one out home run over the left field wall to even the game at 1-1.
Pioneer starter, freshman Jacob Baker, appeared unfazed by the long ball and struck out the next hitter. However the next three batters all reached safely on two walks and a single loading the bases.
Marietta skipper Brian Brewer went to the bullpen and brought in junior Mitch McNabb. Rhodes greeted McNabb with a single, a fielding error and another single to plate three more runs in the inning for a 4-1 lead. The Lynx added another in the fourth for a four run advantage.
In the meantime, Marietta failed to capitalize on its own scoring opportunities. The Pioneers loaded the bases with one out in the second and didn't score. In the third, MC had a runner on third with one and again couldn't bring him home.
The Express finally got to Rhodes starter Daniel Morris in the sixth. Morris, who entered the game with an earned run average under one, retired the Pioneers in order in the fourth and stranded a runner in the fifth.
Morris beaned Joey Begany to start the top of the sixth. Joe Gardner pinch ran for Begany. Following a pair of outs, Michael Barnabei doubled to left center scoring Gardner. Tanner Wood kept the inning alive when he reached on an error bringing Greg Peffley to the plate. Peffley ripped a single to left plating Barnabei and cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Marietta added two runs in the seventh to even the score, 5-5, as Austin Harvey smacked a two-run triple. Packanik drove in one in the eighth and another came across on a passed ball for a 7-5 Pioneer lead.
Christian Herstine started the bottom of the eighth on the mound for Marietta and walked the first two batters he faced. Brewer quickly went to the bullpen again and brought in David Stover.
Bennett Notestine loaded the bases with a base hit bunt. Munson grounded to Petrucci at short for what appeared to be a double play. But the relay throw to first wasn't in time to get Munson. With one run across and runners on the corners, Rhodes attempted a double steal and the throw to second sailed into center field allowing Nick Bosma to score and tie the game at 7-7.
More defensive troubles hurt both teams in the ninth. Tyler Wood led off the top of the winning with a double and moved to third when the Lynx left fielder bobbled the ball. He would later score on a single by Brandon Papp.
Greenberg reached on an error to start the bottom of the ninth. He promptly stole second and again the throw ended up getting away allowing Greenberg to move over to third with no outs. Stover struck out the next batter bringing Moreland to the plate. Moreland executed the squeeze scoring Greenberg and sending the game into extra inning tied at 9-9.
Ben South took over on the mound for Rhodes to start the tenth and was greeted by a line drive single to right field off the bat of Mike Hale. Doug Bennett sacrificed Hale into scoring position bringing Austin Harvey to the plate.
Harvey laced a single to right field and Hale rounded third and headed for home. But, a perfect throw from Olive in right field gunned Hale down at the plate and preserved the 8-8 tie.
Rhodes went quietly in the tenth and South retired the Pioneers in order in the 11th setting the stage for Olive and Greenberg to pull off the extra inning heroics.
South (1-0) got the win throwing two innings of shutout relief. Paranzino (0-1) was tagged with the loss after failing to record an out.
The Etta Express heads north to Demorest, Ga. for three games in the Piedmont Invitational. Marietta plays Piedmont College on Friday (March 11) at 7:00 p.m.