NEW CONCORD, Ohio — It was a tale of two games as the Pioneers split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader at Muskingum Tuesday (April 16) afternoon. Muskingum beat Marietta by the score of 4-1 in the first game, while the Etta Express rolled to a 22-7 victory in game two.
Marietta moves to 13-15 on the season and 7-5 in the OAC. The Muskies are now 10-19 overall and 4-8 in conference games.
Marietta senior first baseman Mike Hale had a double in each game giving him 61 for his career in the pinstripes. Hale passed two-time All-American Josh Streit (1996-99) for first place on Marietta's all-time doubles list. Hale needs six more doubles to tie the OAC career record of 67 held by Heidelberg's Jason Lash (2008-11).
Muskingum's Evan Hinds (3-0) pitched a gem in game one for the win. He tossed 8.0 innings and allowed one run on seven hits. Hinds struck out two and did not walk a Pioneer batter. Parker Brown worked the ninth inning for his first save of the year. He walked one.
John Stover (4-2) started and took the loss for Marietta. Stover pitched 5.0 innings and allowed three runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out four. Isaac Danford worked the final 3.0 innings and gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Muskingum grabbed the lead with a run in the first. The Muskies added two in the sixth and one more in the eighth for a 4-0 lead.
The Pioneers lone run came in the ninth inning. Hale led off with a double to left center and moved to third on a single through the right side of the infield from Isaac Huffman. A walk to Drew Holderbach loaded the bases with no outs.
Following a shallow flyout to right field that wasn't deep enough for Hale to score from third, Logan Vietmeier pinch hit for Eddie Poster. Vietmeier hit a sac fly to centerfield scoring Hale. The Pioneer rally was cut short on a ground out to end the game.
Wilkinson was the lone Pioneer with two hits in the game.
Offensively, game two was the exact opposite for the Etta Express. Marietta erupted for 22 runs on 19 base hits. Seven different Pioneers had multiple hits in the blowout.
Damian Yenzi, Alex Page, Danford and Wilkinson each finished with three hits, while Hale, Holderbach and Brady Cottom had two hits. Yenzi smacked a pair of doubles, scored five times and drove in two runs. Page had a double, scored three runs and notched four RBI. Danford had a double and three runs batted in, while Cottom drove in three runs.
Hale's record setting double came in the fourth inning. He lined a 2-2 pitch to the wall in left field scoring Yenzi. Hale finished with three runs scored and two RBI.
Freshman Sam Mathews (2-2) started and worked 5.0 innings to get the win. He gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out three. Jared Strickler, Easton Berry and Quin Hecker all threw in relief for the Pioneers.
Michael Pagano (1-1) started and got the loss for the Muskies. He lasted just 1.1 innings and gave up five runs on two hits with four walked. Six other pitchers toed the rubber for Muskingum.
Marietta travels to Washington, Pennsylvania for a single nonconference game at Washington & Jefferson Wednesday (April 17) at 6 p.m.