MARIETTA, Ohio — Runs were hard to come by as Ohio Northern University swept an Ohio Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader from Marietta College Saturday (April 21) afternoon at Wander Field.

The Polar Bears won the first game, 5-2, and then blanked the Pioneers, 1-0, in the nightcap. Ohio Northern improves to 21-10 on the season and 9-5 in the OAC. Marietta slips to 20-9 overall and 8-4 in the OAC.

ONU took advantage of a Pioneer error to score an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning of game one. Marietta got on the board with two runs in the sixth.

Seamus Kenneally led off with a single and stole second. Following a strikeout, Chris Petrucci reached on a base hit bunt that moved Kenneally to third. Mike Hale drove in Kenneally with a single. Petrucci went to third and Hale was able to get into scoring position on the throw. Connor Golden picked up an RBI with a groundout to the second baseman.

The Polar Bears loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning. Brandon Kasberg, ONU's nine hitter, tied the game with a ground ball to third.

Ohio Northern retired the Pioneers in order in the top of the eighth inning and then loaded the bases with no outs in the home half of the frame. Caleb Thomas and Hayden Shenefield singled and Will Davis was hit by a pitch.

Following a strikeout, pinch hitter T.J. Storer grounded out to second scoring James Fisher, who pinch ran for Thomas, with the go ahead run. Krue Thwaits followed sith a two-run single to right field giving ONU a 5-2 lead.

Scott Beaton (2-2) got the win in relief for the Polar Bears. Beaton pitched 2.0 shutout innings allowing just one walk. Nate Bye started and threw 7.0 innings. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out four.

Dalton Wiggins started for Marietta and tossed 6.1 innings. He gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits. Wiggins walked three and struck out five. Easton berry faced one batter before turning the ball over to Kordell Antill (1-1). Antill got the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings of work. He struck out one.

Petrucci, Hale and Kenneally each had one hit for Marietta.

Game two was a pitcher's duel as Austin Eaton and Josh Mohr each threw seven shutout innings. Ohio Northern finally got on the board with a run in the bottom of the eighth.

Eaton (1-3) took the loss. He worked 7.1 innings and allowed one run on five hits. He struck out six Polar Bears. Michael Barnabei threw the final 0.2 innings and gave up one hit and walked two.

Mohr pitched 7.0 innings in the no decision. He allowed four hits, walked three and struck out five. Jack Schaller (3-1) got the win with 2.0 innings of three-hit relief. He walked one and struck out three.

Jordan Bostater led off the bottom of the eighth with a double and was then lifted for pinch runner, Jake Gherardi. Kyle Schlade sacrificed Gherardi to third leading Marietta skipper Brian Brewer to lift Eaton in favor of Barnabei.

Kasberg was the first batter to face Barnabei and he singled to right field driving in Gherardi with the first, and only, run of the game.

Marietta tied to rally in the ninth. Brady Cottom led off with a double and Jake Ward reached on a base hit bunt. Golden pinch hit and drew a base on balls loading the bases with no outs. But Schaller regrouped and struck out the next three Pioneers to end the threat and secure the victory.

Cottom finished 2-for-4 with a double. Damian Yenzi also double for the Pioneers.

Marietta plays at Wilmington College on Sunday (April 22) at 1 p.m.