MARIETTA, Ohio — No. 11 ranked Marietta College erupted for eight runs in the fifth inning and then held off a spirited Adrian College comeback attempt Friday (May 19) afternoon in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament. The Pioneers held on to beat Adrian 11-10 and advance into the winner's bracket.
 
Marietta improves to 35-11 overall, The Pioneers will play Case Western Reserve University, a 16-2 winner over Mary Washington in the first round, on Saturday (May 20) at 2:30 p.m. Adrian and Mary Washington will play in the loser's bracket at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.
 
An RBI double from Edward Wagner gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The lead was short-lived as Alex Richter launched a towering solo home run over the right field wall in the home half of the inning.
 
Marietta grabbed the lead with two runs in the second inning. Cole Rieman singled and Austin Amburgey walked. Ben Kaplin dropped down a sacrifice bunt moving both runners into scoring position. Nick Bonnizzio delivered a two-out single up the middle plating both runners.
 
Adrian knocked Pioneer starting pitcher Trent Valentine off the mound with a three-run rally in the fourth inning. The Bulldogs loaded the bases for Logan Loeffler who lined a double to the wall in left center clearing the bases and giving Adrian a 4-3 lead.
 
The Etta Express got rolling in the bottom of fifth inning sending 13 batters to the plate. Marietta loaded the bases and then Valentine was hit by a pitch, Amburgey walked, and Kaplin was beaned scoring the first three runs of the frame.
 
Matthew Busby plated two runs with a single up the middle. Bonnizzio followed with a two-run double into the left field corner and then Richter finished the rally with a run-scoring single through the right side of the infield giving Marietta a 11-4 lead.
 
The Pioneers would need every one of those runs as Adrian scored four runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to get within a run, 11-10.
 
Gabe Torres retired Adrian in order in the ninth to secure the win.
 
Valentine started on the mound and was charged with four runs on two hits in 3.0 innings. He walked three and struck out one. Hill (10-3) took over and got the win. Hill allowed four runs on two hits with four walks in 3.1 innings. Torres worked the final 2.2 innings and gave up two runs on three hits.
 
Daniel Gutierrez (7-4) started on the mound for Adrian and was tagged with the loss after allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on seven hits in 4.2 innings. He walked three and struck out two. Four other pitchers toed the rubber for the Bulldogs.
 
Bonnizzio went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and four RBI. Carson had three hits, including a double. Richter finished with two hits, the home run and two RBI.