MOUNT BERRY, Georgia — Berry College scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning and another in the tenth to defeat Marietta College, 7-6, Saturday (March 16) afternoon. The loss drops Marietta to 4-6 on the season, while Berry improves to 13-6 overall.
Freshman Reeve Holley entered the game in the fourth inning when Berry's starting shortstop was unable to continue after being injured on a collision at first base in the first inning. Holley was 0-for-2 in first two at bats, but with one out and runners on first and second, Holley delivered a single through the right side of the infield that drove in the winning run.
The Vikings sent the game in extra innings with a run in the bottom of the ninth. Zack Walch led off with a bunt single and quickly stole second. Holley sacrificed him to third. With the Pioneer infield playing in, Spence Johns followed with a single up the middle to tie the game, 6-6.
William Gibbons (2-1) picked up the win with 3.0 innings of hitless, shut out relief. Gibbons retired all nine batters he faced including three by strikeout. J.T. Eggert started and worked 4.2 innings. He allowed five runs on five hits with five walks and five strikeouts. Milan Sutaria gave up one run on two hits with one strikeout in 2.1 innings of middle relief.
Justin Aviles started on the mound for Marietta and threw 3.0 innings. He was charged with one run on five hits and struck out one. Jared Strickler tossed 2.2 innings and gave up four runs, two earned, on four hits. Isaac Danford pitched 1.1 innings of two-hit relief striking out one.
Sam Mathews (1-1) was tagged with the loss. He threw 2.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Mathews walked two and struck out two. Easton Berry faced one hitter and allowed the base hit to Holley in the tenth.
Marietta scored all of its runs in the middle three innings. The Pioneers tied the game, 1-1, in the fourth inning. Mike Hale led off with a base hit bunt. He stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Hale later scored when Alex Page grounded into a double play.
The Etta Express added four more in the fifth inning all with two outs. Damian Yenzi worked a two-out walk and stole second. Logan Vietmeier beat out a chopper to the third baseman moving Yenzi to third.
MC executed a perfect first and third double steal as Yenzi scored to put the Pioneers in front, 2-1. Jonathan Pingree followed with a double to right center scoring Vietmeier. After Hale walked, Page crushed a triple to the wall in center field scoring Pingree and Hale.
Berry plated two runs in the bottom of the frame cutting the Marietta lead to 5-3. Yenzi delivered a two-out RBI double in the sixth scoring Brady Cottom, who reached on a single up the middle.
Two more Berry runs in the bottom of the seventh made it 6-5 in favor of the Pioneers. The score remained that way until the Vikings tied the game in the ninth.
Three of Marietta's six hits in the game went for extra bases as Yenzi and Pingree each doubled and Page had a triple. Hale went 1-for-4 with two runs scored, while Page drove in a pair of runs.
Walch finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI for the Vikings. Berry banged out 16 hits in the game, all singles.
Marietta returns home to host La Roche College for a nonconference doubleheader on Wednesday (March 20). First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Don Schaly Stadium.