MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College third baseman Damian Yenzi had five hits, all for extra bases, and drove in seven runs leading the top-seeded Pioneers to a 19-2 win over the University of Mount Union Thursday (May 12) afternoon in the opening game of the Ohio Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament.
 
"I'm super pleased with how we played in all phases of the game," Marietta head coach Brian Brewer said. "Offensively, we did a great job of laying off those pitches down, waiting on them to elevate it. And we put on some really good swings."
 
The Etta Express, ranked No. 2 nationally, improves to 36-5 on the season and will play Baldwin Wallace University in the winner's bracket game Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. The Yellow Jackets (31-9) were 10-2 winners over Otterbein University in the second game Thursday. Mount Union (22-18) will face Otterbein (27-14) in the loser's bracket game at 2:00 p.m.
 
Yenzi blasted a pair of home runs and continued his assault on the Marietta College and OAC record books with three more doubles. His first double of the game set the Marietta single season record, the second set the OAC career record and the third tied the OAC single season mark. He now has 26 doubles this season and 69 for his career.
 
"The records mean the world to me. I've put a whole lot of hard work into this thing," Yenzi said. "I've bought in since day one and it's starting to pay off and it feels really good. But we're still trying to keep this thing going and we are not where we want to be yet."
 
Mount Union starting pitcher Carson Davis held the Marietta offense in check for the first two innings, but he wouldn't make it out of the third as the Pioneers exploded for 13 runs on 12 hits in the frame.
 
"For the first two innings, we held Marietta at bay. But when Davis gave up that three-run homer, he just lost his composure," Mount Union head coach Paul Hesse said. "You do that against the number two team in the country, you're going to take a hit."
 
The Purple Raiders retired Marietta's first batter in the third. Back-to-back singles from Drew Wilkinson and Turner Hill were followed by a monster home run over the wall in left field from Yenzi. The Pioneer senior would add a grand slam later in the inning accounting for seven of the 13 runs in the rally.
 
"Damian is a great example of good things happening to good people," Brewer said. "He's a great teammate and has been for a long time. We're glad we have him on our side."
 
Logan Vietmeier slugged a two-run shot to right field. Alex Richter had a two-run single, while Brett Carson plated a run with a base hit and Hill drove in one with a bases loaded walk.
 
With the offense firing on all cylinders, Marietta ace Trent Valentine (12-1) cruised through the first six innings. He gave up two runs in the top of the seventh before exiting the game. Valentine worked 6.2 innings and was charged with two runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out two for the win.
 
"Trent's strikeouts were a bit low today, but he was pitching to contact, and they were swinging early in the count," Brewer said. "That allowed us to keep him in the game a bit longer, which was great because he was very effective."
 
Griffin Malick pitched 1.1 innings facing the minimum number of batters. Dawson Pierce retired the side in order in the top of the ninth.
 
Marietta added a run in the fourth and two in the fifth. Backup catcher Ben Kaplin launched a three-run home run to centerfield in the bottom of the eighth to make it 19-2.
 
Davis (3-6) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings. Four other Purple Raiders toed the rubber in the game.
 
Yenzi finished 5-for-6 with two home runs, three doubles, three runs scored and seven RBI. Wilkinson was 4-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Zach Boyd and Trent Castle had three hits apiece, while Hill, Carson and Drew Holderbach each had two hits.
 
Mount Union designated hitter Thomas Gallant was the lone Purple Raider with two hits in the game. He also drove in one of Mount Union's two runs.