PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida — Saint John's University smacked six home runs as the Johnnies knocked off No. 2 ranked Marietta College by the score of 20-8 Thursday (March 10) afternoon at the Snowbird Baseball Classic. The loss drops Marietta to 6-2 on the season. Saint John's improves to 5-5 overall.

The Johnnies started the game with back-to-back home runs for a quick 2-0 lead. Joe Becker homered over the centerfield wall and Matthew Hayford sent one over the wall in left field.

Marietta got one run back in the home half of the first inning when Drew Holderbach reached on a two-out single and moved to second base on a wild pitch. He scored on a Logan Vietmeier RBI single to left.

Pioneer skipper Brian Brewer elected to change pitchers to start the second inning and senior Isaac Danford replace freshman Jacob Rocky. Danford blanked Saint John's over the next three innings while the Marietta offense grabbed the lead with three runs in the fourth inning.

Vietmeier led off with a double and Brett Carson followed with an infield single. That brough Zach Boyd to the plate who promptly deposited the ball on the other side of the right field wall for a three-run home run and a 4-2 MC lead.

The lead was short-lived as Saint John's plated three in the fifth and three more in the sixth inning to go in front, 8-4. The big blow was a three-run home run off the bat of Ethan Roe.

Carson hit a solo home run for the Pioneers in the sixth and Alex Richter drove in a run with a sacrifice fly cutting the deficit to 8-6.

Any hopes of a Marietta comeback were dashed in the seventh frame when SJU sent 14 hitters to the plate and scored nine runs. Seven of the runs came via the home run. Soren Roe hit a grand slam while Owen Dauk smacked a three-run homer.

Holderbach had an RBI single in the seventh and Ben Kaplin hit a solo home run in the ninth.

Rocky on the mound for Marietta and worked 1.0 innings. He allowed two runs on four base hits. Danford (0-1) threw 4.0 innings and gave up three runs, two earned, on dive hits. He walked three and struck out five. Frehsmen Forrest Havanis, Ty Davis and Dawson Pierce all threw in relief for the Pioneers.

Nathan Brandecker (2-0) started and got the win for Saint John's. He pitched 6.0 innings and gave up six runs on eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Quinn Krueger worked the final 3.0 innings for the save. He allowed two runs on six hits.

Vietmeier finished 3-for-4 with a double. Holdetbach, Carson, Boyd and Richter each had two hits.

Marietta plays Sewanee Friday (March 11) at 11 a.m.