BEREA, Ohio — No. 1 ranked Marietta College secured the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season championship with a doubleheader sweep of No. 12 Baldwin Wallace University Saturday (April 30) afternoon. The Pioneers have a three-game lead on second place Otterbein University with two conference games left to play.
 
The Etta Express rolled to a 16-2 thrashing in game one and then blanked the Yellow Jackets 2-0 in the second game. Baldwin Wallace entered the day averaging over 11 runs per game but managed just two runs and 10 total hits in the doubleheader.
 
Marietta has now won 20 straight games and improves to 34-3 on the season. The Pioneers are 15-1 in the OAC. Baldwin Wallace falls to 27-8 overall and 11-5 in conference games.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Marietta erupted for 10 runs in the top of the second inning putting the first game out of reach early. The Pioneers took advantage of five walks in the frame plating 10 runs on just five base hits.
 
Logan Vietmeier led off with a walk and Drew Holderbach followed with a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left field. BW starter Garrett Miller retired the next two Pioneer hitters as the Yellow Jackets hoped to limit the damage.
 
A walk to Alex Richter and a double from Drew Wilkinson kept the rally alive. Miller then walked Turner Hill and Damian Yenzi to load the bases for Zach Boyd. Boyd dropped a single into left field scoring Wilkinson and Richter and chasing Miller from the game.
 
Steve Spidell walked Vietmeier loading the bases. A passed ball allowed Yenzi to score and a single from Holderbach drove in Boyd and Vietmeier. Holderbach stole second and then scored on a hit from Brett Carson. Carson later scored on an error giving Marietta a 10-0 lead.
 
The Pioneers added two runs in the third, three in the seventh and one more in the ninth. Baldwin Wallace got on the board in the fifth inning when Bryce Holt walked, moved to third on a double from Cooper Harestad and scored on a wild pitch. BW's final run came on a solo home run off the bat of Chris Viamonte in the seventh.
 
Trent Valentine (11-0) remained perfect on the season throwing five innings for the win. He allowed one run on four hits with three walks and one strikeout. Griffin Malick gave up one run on one hit in 2.1 innings, while Kail Hill worked 1.2 innings and allowed one hit with a walk and three strikeouts.
 
Miller (2-1) was charged with seven runs on three hits in 1.2 innings of work. He walked four and did not strikeout a batter. Four other Yellow Jackets pitched in the game with Dylan Snyder tossing five innings and giving up five runs on six hits.
 
Hill, Holderbach, Carson and Richter each had two hits in the game for the Pioneers. Holderbach had a home run and four RBI. Yenzi launched a two-run home run.
 
Isaac Danford and Sam Mathews combined to shutout the Yellow Jackets in game two. Danford started and threw five innings and allowed three hits while striking out two. Mathews (3-0) got the win with four innings of one-hit relief. Mathews walked one and struck out three.
 
Dawson Gabe (3-3) had a strong outing for the Yellow Jackets. He worked 6.2 innings and allowed two unearned runs on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Nik Baldis threw 2.1 innings and gave up four hits.
 
Carson scored the first run of the game when he reached base on a dropped third strike and moved to third on a single from Trent Castle and scored on a sac fly from Richter. Wilkinson lined a double down the leftfield line scoring Castle.
 
Castle was the lone hitter in the game with two hits.
 
Marietta hosts Hanover College for a single nine-inning game on Sunday (May 1). First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.