PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida — Junior pitcher Trent Valentine struck out nine hitters and scattered five hits as No. 2 ranked Marietta College blanked No. 4 North Central College, 7-0, Friday (March 11) evening. Earlier Friday, the Pioneers posted a 6-4 win over Sewanee.
The Etta Express improves to 8-2 overall. Sewanee falls to 2-10 and North Central slips to 8-1 on the season.
A trio of Pioneer pitchers combined on the shutout. Valentine (3-0) started and worked 5.0 innings walking one and striking out nine. Griffin Malick allowed one hit in 2.0 innings, while Sam Mathews struck out four of the seven batters he faced in the final 2.0 innings.
Marietta got all the offense it needed in the second inning when the Pioneers plated four runs. Logan Vietmeier was hit by a pitch to start the rally. Zach Boyd walked and then Trent Castle smacked a one-out double driving in Vietmeier. Alex Richter was beaned loading the bases.
Drew Wilkinson hit a fly ball to right field that the North Central defender lost in the lights. With the runners forced to hold up on the fly ball, Boyd was forced out at the plate for the second out.
Turner Hill ripped a single to right scoring Castle and Richter and moving Wilkinson to third. Yenzi followed with a single scoring Wilkinson for a 4-0 Pioneer lead.
Hill picked up another RBI with a sac fly in the fourth that scored Castle. The Pioneers added two insurance runs in the top of ninth for a 7-0 lead.
Hill finished 1-for-4 with three RBI.
Against Sewanee, the Pioneers scored three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to come from behind and post the 6-4 win.
Malick (3-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Gino Sabatine. Sabatine threw 3.2 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Malick worked 2.1 innings and gave up one run on one hit with three strikeouts and a walk.
Mathews earned his third save of the season with 3.0 innings of no-hit, shutout relief. He struck out four and walked one.
Boyd delivered the big blow with a three-run home run in the fourth. Vietmeier and Brett Carson both singled ahead of Boyd's homer.
Boyd added two more RBi with a double in the fifth inning.
Alex Richter went 3-for-4 with a double for the Pioneers. Boyd was 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBI.
Marietta is slated to play Webster University at 1:30 p.m. Saturday (March 12). However, the forecast isn't good for the afternoon and the game may be moved earlier in the day.