MARIETTA, Ohio — The No. 15 ranked Marietta College baseball team split an Ohio Athletic Conference doubleheader with Ohio Northern University Sunday (March 21) afternoon. The Pioneer won game one, 9-1, while the Polar Bears took the second game by the score of 6-5.
The loss snaps Marietta's seven-game winning streak. The Pioneers are 7-1 overall and 7-1 in the OAC. Ohio Northern moves to 2-6 on the season and 1-3 in the OAC.
Ohio Northern grabbed the early lead in the first inning of game one when Corey McMann drilled a two-out solo home run over the right field wall. The Polar Bears held the lead until Marietta tied the game with a run in the home half of the third.
The Etta Express took the lead in the fourth inning when Brady Cottom was hit by a pitch. He stole second and then moved to third on a groundout. Turner Hill delivered a two-out RBI single to right scoring Cottom with the go ahead run.
Marietta extended its lead with four more runs in the fifth inning. Zach Boyd continued to swing a hot bat with an RBI double scoring Damian Yenzi, who reached on a walk. Boyd would eventually score on an ONU error. Later in the frame Jared Weiss smacked a two-run single to center making it 6-1.
Weiss added a third RBI in the seventh when his sac fly plated Trent Castle. Drew Holderbach capped the scoring for Marietta with a two-run double in the eighth.
Dalton Wiggins (2-0) started and got the win on the mound for MC. He pitched 5.2 innings and gave up one run on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Sam Mathews earned his first save of the season with 3.1 innings of perfect relief retiring all 10 batters he faced, including five by strikeout.
Tim Knapschaefer (0-2) started and got the loss for the Polar Bears. He worked 4.2 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits with five walks and one strikeout. Noah Truax and Austin Hunter each threw in relief.
Boyd went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Holderbach finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a double. Weis drove in three runs.
In the night cap Ohio Northern built a 6-1 lead and appeared to be cruising to victory. But Marietta rallied with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one-run game. The Pioneers scored three of the four runs when the ONU leftfielder dropped a fly ball with the bases loaded and two outs in the frame.
The Polar Bears got out of the eighth with a 6-5 lead and managed to retire Marietta in order in the ninth for the win.
Tom Pitko (1-1) got the win on the mound for ONU. He started and threw 7.0 innings giving up one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out two. Devin Johnson worked 1.1 innings of relief and surrendered four runs, one earned, on one hit. He walked three and struck out three. James Fisher got his first save when he induced a game ending double play in the ninth.
Weiss led the Pioneers with three hits, including two doubles, in five at bats. Holderbach added two hits in the game.
Marietta hosts Wilmington College on Saturday (March 27) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.