BEREA, Ohio — No. 4 seed John Carroll University took advantage of six unearned runs to defeat No. 2 seed Marietta College, 10-8, Friday (May 12) morning in the winner's bracket of the 2023 Ohio Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament being played at Baldwin Wallace University.
 
The Blue Streaks improve to 27-13 on the season and advances into the championship game on Saturday. Marietta falls to 32-10. The Pioneers will play the winner of Baldwin Wallace and Ohio Northern later this afternoon for the right to face John Carroll in the championship.
 
"Some things that have haunted us throughout the course of the season reared their ugly heads today. Errors, walks and some lapses in the batter's box," Marietta head coach Brian Brewer said. "A lot of credit goes to John Carroll. I said it before the game, that they were the hottest team coming into the tournament. They did a really good job and we didn't respond in some key situations. The good news is we get to play more baseball now so we'll move forward and be ready for the late afternoon game."
 
John Carroll Plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first inning. Jack Harmon delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field.
 
The Pioneers answered with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Alex Richter drew a one-out walk and Brett Carson singled. A Ty Davis ground out moved both runners up one base. Cole Rieman followed with a line drive double down the right field line scoring Richter and Carson.
 
Trent Valentine kept the rally going when he was hit by a pitch. Ben Kaplin followed with an RBI single scoring Rieman. Cole Yeager drove in Valentine with a single through the left side of the infield giving Marietta a 4-2 lead.
 
Two John Carroll error led to an Unearned for Marietta in the third.
 
The Blue Streaks erupted for five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 7-5 lead. Erik Daugenti smacked a two-out, two-run double to left center. Michael Persichetti drove in the third run with an RBI single. A Pioneer error led to two more runs in the inning, both unearned.
 
The difference in the game turned out to be three runs John Carroll scored in the top of the seventh with just one base hit. Two misplayed bunts by the Pioneers resulted in two of the three runs being unearned as the Blue Streaks extended their lead to 10-5.
 
Marietta cut into the lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Both runs scoring on bases loaded walks to Davis and Rieman. JCU reliever Roger Simon settled down after walking in the second run and got Valentine to pop up and struck out Kaplin to end the threat with the Blue Streaks clinging to a 10-7 lead.
 
The Pioneers tried to rally in the ninth. Richter was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved to second on a ground out. Following a flyout, Rieman singled up the middle scoring Richter. But Simon was able to strikeout Valentine to secure the victory.
 
Simon picked up his third save of the season working 2.2 innings and striking out three Pioneer hitters. He allowed one run on one hot with one walk. Henry Darrow (3-3) gets the win in relief of starter Jamon Higley. Darrow was charged with three runs on four hits in 5.1 innings. Higley gave up four runs on four hits in 1.0 inning of work.
 
Kail Hill (9-3) started and took the loss for the Pioneers. Hill allowed six runs, three earned, on five hits in 3.2 innings. Four other Pioneers threw in relief.
 
Carson and Rieman each had three hits in the game for Marietta. Rieman had a double and drove in four runs.