PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida — Keystone College built a 5-0 lead and then held on to defeat Marietta College, 5-2, Sunday (Mar. 11) afternoon in the Snowbird Baseball Classic. The Giants improve to 3-4 on the season, while the Pioneers fall to 3-1 overall.

Keystone starting pitcher Christopher Adams (1-0) threw 8.0 strong innings for the win. He scattered five hits and didn't allow Marietta to score until the eighth inning. Adams was charged with a pair of earned runs to go along with one walk and six strikeouts.

The Giants strung together three straight hits in the top of the third to score the game's first run. Ryan Callahan reached on a one-out single up the middle and Mohammed Hussein followed with a double into the right-center gap moving Callahan to third.

A single from Chris Panzarella plated Callahan. Marietta starter Scott Oberhelman settled down and retired the next two hitters to get out of the inning.

Keystone extended their lead with two unearned runs in the fifth for a 3-0 lead. Ty Christian worked a lead off walk and moved to second on an error by the Pioneer third baseman giving the Giants two runners with no outs.

Hussein attempted a sac bunt but Marietta first baseman Mike Hale fielded the ball and fired to third in time to get Christian. Oberhelman appeared to on his way to getting out of the inning when he induced a pop up off the bat of Panzarella, but Dakota McFadden laced the first into the left-center gap scoring Callahan and Hussein.

Oberhelman (1-1) worked 5.0 innings and allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits. He walked one and struck out six. Dalton Wiggins and Austin Eaton each tossed an inning of shutout relief.

Kordell Antill took over on the mound in the eighth and surrendered a two-run home run to Johann Paniagua extending the Giant advantage to 5-0.

Marietta finally got to Adams in the bottom half of the inning. Brady Cottom lined a one-out double into the leftfield corner. Chris Petrucci got beaned and then Connor Golden lined out left for the second out.

Hale stepped in and ripped the second pitch by the third baseman and down the line scoring both Cottom and Petrucci. The Pioneers had a chance to continue the rally when Shane Fetsko reached on a throwing error by the Keystone third baseman. However, Hale got caught in no-man's land between second and third and was put out on the play to end the inning.

Freshman Brenden Lacorato made his collegiate debut and retired the Giants in order in the top of the ninth. Keystone senior Joe DeAngelis returned the favor in the home half of the inning for his first save of the season.

Damien Yenzi was the lone Pioneer with two hits finishing 2-for-4 with a double. Hussein had two hits, including a double, for Keystone.

Marietta is back in action on Monday (Mar. 12) with a noon start against Susquehanna University.