MARIETTA, Ohio — It's a simple motto this time of year, and second-ranked Marietta embraced it Friday afternoon.
 
"Wins are wins this time of year. There's no such thing as an ugly one," said Marietta coach Brian Brewer following a 9-7 victory over Kalamazoo in the first game of the NCAA Division III Baseball Regional at Don and Sue Schaly Field at Pioneer Park.
 
"We didn't play poorly. We didn't pitch it really well, and I thought we could have done some things better as a coaching staff," he added. "(Kalamazoo is) really good and that's what we expected. It's not the way we drew it up, but we will certainly walk out of here with the win and not give it back."
 
Marietta's pitching wasn't quite on through the first five innings, but senior reliever Sam Mathews, the Ohio Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, came in and erased any thoughts of a comeback by the Hornets (26-12).
 
Mathews earned his 13th save — a school record for a season. While it was a goal of his at the start of the season, Mathews's focus now is on winning as many post-season games as possible.
 
"We're just trying to get wins. Like coach said, a win is a win this time of year. I don't think anyone is looking at their stats this time of year," said Mathews, who gave up two hits and struck out two over the final four innings. "We're just trying to win and move to the next one."
 
Brewer appreciates being able to turn to Mathews to close the door.
 
"It's come to be expected. Sam is Sam," he said. "While we don't take it for granted, we expect him to be really good."
 
Marietta's offense got going in the second inning with a three-spot that was highlighted by a Brett Carson triple that scored Logan Vietmeier for a 1-0 lead. Trent Castle followed up with a towering home run over the left-field wall for the 3-0 advantage.
 
"I was just trying to be on time for the fastball up," said Castle, who scored three runs. "I was just trying to hit something into the outfield. I saw it up and just tried to hit it."
 
The Hornets responded with three runs on four hits in the top of the third off Marietta starter Trent Valentine to tie the game. Harrison Poeszat drove in a run with a single up the middle with two outs.
 
Marietta appeared to get out of the jam when Castle made a sliding catch in left-center on a line drive by Lukas Bolton. However, as he lifted his glove the ball fell to the ground and the umpires ruled everyone safe and two runs scored.
 
Kalamazoo took the lead in the fourth as Kail Hill came in for relief for the Pioneers. Once again, with two outs the Hornets plated two runs to take a 5-3 lead. Spencer Baldwin singled home Max Gordon. Then Bolton singled home Doug Propson, which forced Marietta to go to the bullpen again — bringing in Gino Sabatine.
 
Kalamazoo starter Thomas Sylvester, a 6-foot-4 left-hander, was solid through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth inning. He walked the first three batters — Zach Boyd, Brett Carson and Castle.
 
With one out, senior Drew Wilkinson delivered a clutch double to left center that tied the game at 5-5. Wilkinson, who battled a shoulder injury early in the season and is hitting just .203. But he has come around at the plate in the last few weeks.
 
"He's hot. He may be one of our hottest hitters in the last two weeks," Brewer said. "He's not only had some big hits, but a lot of them. He's figuring it out a little bit. I'll take my chances (with Wilkinson). He's a player, especially this time of year."
 
Marietta (39-5) added three more runs to take an 8-5 lead after four.
 
Turner Hill hit a bloop double to left that scored Alex Richter, and then Damian Yenzi drove home Wilkinson on a groundout and Drew Holderbach singled home Hill.
 
Kalamazoo rallied again, though, and scored two runs in the fifth to cut Marietta's lead to one. With two outs, Gino Sabatine hit Ben Chosid and that was followed by blast from Blake Bean that cleared the 400-foot mark in center.
 
"I think offensively we were relentless the entire game. That kind of shows who we have been all year," said Kalamazoo coach Mike Ott. "We hit with them, which is what we thought we could do. (Seven) free passes to the top offensive team in the country and you're not going to win the game. I think that was the difference. They are as disciplined and well coached a team as I've ever coached against in 10 years."
 
Ott also noted that the one run Marietta added in the eighth inning was critical after Harrison Poeszat opened the ninth with a double and then Mathews induced three consecutive ground outs to end the inning.
 
"The ninth inning is completely different with a guy on second base," he said. "You bunt him over and you never know what happens."
 
Brewer acknowledged that the run in the eighth gave his team the breathing room it needed.
 
"They answered every time," he said. "It's a good starting game on the winning side of it, and hopefully this will make us better moving into tomorrow."
 
While he expected more out of his pitching, Brewer said everyone but Trent Valentine is eligible to pitch on Saturday.
 
"Although it wasn't how we drew it up, it could end up benefiting us a little bit in the long run," he said. "We expect Trent to come out there and be a little cleaner. We expect all of those guys to be cleaner."
 
Marietta will play the winner of Christopher Newport and Mount Aloysius Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Kalamazoo will face the loser at 11 a.m.