WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Designated hitter Alex Page went a combined 5-for-10 with seven runs batted in and four runs scored to lead No. 6 Marietta College to a doubleheader sweep of Otterbein University Wednesday (May 5) at Fishbaugh Field.
The Pioneers won game one, 11-6, and then completed the four-game series sweep with an 11-3 victory in game two. Marietta improves to 25-3 overall and 24-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. With just eight games remaining in the regular season, the Etta Express has already secured a spot in the six-team OAC Tournament.
Marietta never trailed in game one. The Pioneers scored three runs in the second inning and built an 11-2 lead before giving up four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Trent Castle got things rolling with a two-run home run to left field. Jared Weiss added an RBI single giving the Pioneers a 3-0 lead. Otterbein answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning cutting the MC lead to 3-2.
The Etta Express pulled away with two runs in the third and three more in the fourth. Page delivered a two-run double in the fourth frame. Brady Cottom and Drew Wilkinson each had RBI singles in the seventh inning for the Pioneers.
Nicklaus Brown (4-0) started on the mound and threw 6.1 innings. Brown allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits. He walked two and struck out four. Isaac Danford gave up one hit, one walk and struck out two in 0.2 innings, while Sam Mathews tossed 2.0 shutout innings with three strikeouts.
Travis Engard (2-1) took the loss. He pitched 3.0 innings and allowed five runs on five hits. Three other Cardinals pitched in relief.
Castle and Drew Holderbach each had three hits in the game for Marietta. Turner Hill, Page and Wilkinson had two hits apiece.
In the second game of the day, Marietta scored eight runs in the middle three innings to break a 1-1 tie. The Pioneers added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning while holding the Cardinals scoreless over the final three innings for the victory.
Otterbein grabbed the early lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Two Pioneer errors and a sac fly led to the Cardinal run.
Marietta tied the game with an unearned run of their own in the top of the second. Page reached base and advanced to second on an error to lead off the inning. He moved to third base on a deep fly out and then scored on a single from Dylan Albright.
The Pioneers added four runs in the fourth inning. Hill drew a bases loaded walk and then Page knocked in two runs with a single to center field. Hill scored the fourth run of the inning on a double steal.
Page continued to swing a hot bat with a two-run home run in the sixth. Albright added an RBI double and Matthew Busby plated another run with a ground out pushing the MC lead to 9-2.
Page picked up his fifth RBI of the game with a run-scoring double in the seventh. Logan Vietmeier drove in the final run of the game with a through the left side of the infield.
Trent Valentine (2-1) started and got the win. He tossed 5.0 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out six. John Stover allowed on unearned run on one hit in an inning of relief.
Albright made his first appearance on the mound and threw 3.0 shutout innings to finish the game. He allowed one hit, walked one and struck out four.
Jackson Wilson (2-2) took the loss. He gave up two runs on three hits in 3.1 innings. Four other Cardinals pitched in the game.
Page, Vietmeier and Busby each had three hits for the Pioneers. Page finished 3-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored. Hill and Albright had two hits each.
Marietta travels to Tiffin on Saturday (May 8) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Heidelberg University. The Pioneers will host Heidelberg on Sunday (May 9).