PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida — Marietta College sophomore Gino Sabatine and Ohio Wesleyan senior Justin Grubb faced off in an old-fashioned pitcher's dual Wednesday (March 11) morning in the Snowbird Classic. The No. 15 ranked Pioneers came away with a 2-1 victory improving to 7-1 overall. The Battling Bishops slip to 3-3 on the season.

"That was probably the best start we have had all season on the mound. Sabatine had control of his pitches and was able to work out of the bases loaded situation in the second inning," Marietta head coach Brian Brewer said. "Today was just a great game between two good baseball teams. We had a couple chances to score a few more runs, but their pitcher was able to make some pitches and keep us off the board."

Both of Marietta's runs came in the bottom of the second inning. Tate Engle led off with an infield single in the hole at shortstop. Drew Holderbach hit a ball back up the middle off the pitcher's glove. OWU's second baseman fielded the ball on the run and threw it away at first base. Holderbach was safe on an infield single and moved to second on the error. Engle moved over to third.

Drew Wilkinson followed with a single through the left side of the infield scoring Engle and moving Holderbach to third. Jared Weiss then flew out to centerfield scoring Holderbach on the sac fly. Grubb settled down and retired the next two hitters to get out of the inning.

Grubb (0-2) worked six and one-third innings in the loss. He gave up the two runs, one earned, on seven hits with six strikeouts. Matt Poole threw the final one and two-thirds innings and allowed one hit and struck out one.

Ohio Wesleyan got a leadoff double from Collin Spranger in the fifth inning. But any hope of a rally was quickly erased when Spranger was thrown out at third when Carter Franklin's sacrifice bunt attempt went straight back to Sabatine.

The Battling Bishops finally got on the board in the eighth inning. Sabatine retired the first two hitters of the frame before issuing a walk to C.J. Colson. Canyon McWilliams singled to right moving Colson to third and Cole Antle followed with an RBI single in the hole between short and third.

Marietta went to the bullpen and brought in Justin Aviles to close the door on Ohio Wesleyan. He needed just one pitch to end the eighth inning with a fly out. Aviles then sent the Bishops down in order in the ninth for his first save of the season.

Sabatine (1-0) pitched seven and two-thirds innings for the win. He allowed one run on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Aviles worked one and one-third innings and had two strikeouts.

Engle and Holderbach were the only two hitters for either team with two hits in the game. Seamus Kenneally and Alex Page each had a double for the Pioneers.

Marietta is off on until Friday (March 13) morning. The Pioneers play Bridgewater State University at 10 a.m. and Susquehanna University at 1 p.m.