ASHLAND, Ohio — No. 1 ranked Marietta College extended its winning streak to 17 games with a doubleheader sweep of John Carroll University Sunday (April 24) afternoon at Donges Field on the campus of Ashland University. The Pioneers won the first game, 13-7, and then took game two, 11-6.
 
The Etta Express improves to 31-3 overall and 13-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. John Carroll falls to 15-15 on the season and 9-5 in the conference. With four conference games remaining in the regular season, Marietta has a two-game lead in the OAC standings over second place Baldwin Wallace. Marietta travels to Baldwin Wallace this Saturday for two games.
 
It was a record-setting day for senior closer Sam Mathews. Mathews picked up the save in game two setting Marietta's all-time save record with the 29th of his career. It was also his 12th save of the season tying Kyle Lindquist for the single season school record.
 
John Carroll grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the first game with a leadoff triple by Joe Olsavsky. Ben Surman grounded out to second base scoring Olsavsky.
 
Marietta took the lead in the fourth. Drew Holderbach walked, and Brett Carson followed with a double scoring Holderbach. Carson moved to third on the throw to the plate. Alex Richter put Marietta in front with a sac fly to left plating Carson.
 
The Pioneers blew the game open with six more runs in the sixth inning. The big blow was a bases loaded, pinch hit triple by Will Keefe.
 
Five more runs in the eighth inning extended the lead to 13-1. Alex Page drove in a run with a single, Holderbach had an RBI double, and Carson poked a two-run single through the right side of the infield.
 
Trent Valentine (10-0) started on the mound and notched his tenth win of the season. He worked 5.1 innings and allowed one run on five hits. He walked one and struck out six. Isaac Danford pitched 1.2 shutout innings striking out one. Freshman Jacob Rocky threw the final two innings and gave up six runs on six hits in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Mitch Midea (2-1) started on the mound for JCU and took the loss. He threw five innings and was charged with seven runs on six hits. He walked six and struck out four. Four other Blue Streaks pitched in the game.
 
Carson finished 3-for-6 with three runs scored, a double and three RBI. Page was 3-for-3 with a run and two RBI. Holderbach collected a pair of hits and walked three times.
 
Game two started much like the first game with John Carroll scoring a run in the bottom of the first. Olsavsky led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. A groundout moved him to third where he scored on a sac fly from Luke Galioto.
 
Marietta answered with six runs in the top of the second, three in the third and two more in the fourth for an 11-2 lead.
 
Trent Castle smacked a three-run home run to left-center to get things started in the second. Turner Hill and Holderbach had RBI singles and Logan Vietmeier drove in a run with a double to right field.
 
Hill plated another run with a single up the middle in the third inning. Damian Yenzi launched a two-run home run over the wall in left field, hit team-leading eighth home run of the season.
 
A pair of sac flies scored the Pioneer runs in the fourth. Castle and Richter each drove in a run in the frame.
 
John Carroll cut the lead to 11-6 with four runs in the fifth inning. Erik Daugenti hit a three-run double to center field.
 
Freshman Zach Marzetz started on the mound for Marietta. Marzetz worked two inning and allowed two runs on two hits. Brett Carson (5-1) worked three innings for the win giving up four runs on three hits.
 
Sam Mathews took over in the sixth inning and shutdown the Blue Streaks for his 12th save of the season. Mathews pitched four shutout innings and allowed two hits and struck out six.
 
Matthew Aukerman (3-2) started for JCU and took the loss after allowing 11 runs on 11 hits with four walks in three innings. Three other pitchers toed the rubber for John Carroll, including Andrew Steele who toss four shutout innings.
 
Hill, Yenzi and Richter each had three hits for the Pioneers. Yenzi had a double and a home run, while Richter notched a pair of doubles. Vietmeier, Page and Castle had two hits apiece.
 
Marietta travels to Oberlin College on Wednesday (April 27) for a single non-conference game. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.