MARIETTA, Ohio — Ohio Northern University swept an Ohio Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader from Marietta College Monday (April 22) afternoon at Don Schaly Stadium. The Polar Bears won game one, 6-4, and then took the second game by the score of 7-1.
Ohio Northern improves to 17-14 on the season and 8-6 in the OAC. Marietta slips to 14-17 overall and 7-7 in conference games.
Marietta jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first game. Drew Holderbach and Brady Cottom led off the second inning with back-to-back singles. Issac Danford flew out to deep right field allowing Holderbach to tag up and move to third. A perfectly executed first and third double steal gave MC its first run as Holderbach was safe at home.
In the third inning, Damian Yenzi reached on a one-out error by the Polar Bear third baseman. Yenzi was put out at second base on a ground ball from Mike Hale for the second out. Alex Page then delivered an RBI double to left center scoring Hale. Holderbach followed with a single to left driving in Page for a 3-1 Pioneer lead.
The lead was short lived as Ohio Northern responded with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Michael Rooco smacked a two-run triple to the wall in left center. ONU also got RBI singles from Krue Thwaits and Luke Klinehoffer in the rally.
Marietta score one run in the fifth on a wild pitch to get within a run, 5-4. But once again the Polar Bears responded. ONU plated one in the sixth for a 6-4 lead.
Jack Schaller (5-1) started and got the win for ONU. He threw 7.0 innings and gave up four runs, two earned, on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts. James Fisher tossed the final 2.0 innings for his second save of the season. He allowed one hot, walked one and struck out one.
Gino Sabatine (3-2) started and took the loss for the Pioneers. Sabatine pitched 4.0 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out one. John Stover gave up one run in 2.1 innings. Easton Berry worked 1.0 inning and Jared Strickler threw the final 1.2 innings.
Holderbach went 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI. Page had a double, scored once and drove in one run.
Ohio Northern broke a scoreless tie in game two with three runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth inning. The Polar Bears added another run in the seventh for a 7-0 lead before Marietta scored its lone run in the bottom of the seventh.
Nate Bye (3-2) tossed 7.0 innings for the win. He gave up one run on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Jackson Buda worked 2.0 perfect innings of relief.
Justin Aviles (1-3) pitched 4.2 innings and was tagged with the loss. He allowed three runs on eight hits. Aviles walked two and struck out five. Sam Mathews gave up four runs on five hits in 2.1 innings. He walked one and struck out three. CJ Kenworthy struck out three in 2.0 innings of relief.
Cottom led off the bottom of the seventh with a sharp single up the middle. He came around to score on a triple off the bat of Eddie Poster. Poster finished 2-for-2.
Marietta travels to Delaware, Ohio on Wednesday (April 24) for a single, nine-inning nonconference game at Ohio Wesleyan University. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.