PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida — Ben Kaplin lined an RBI double to centerfield in the top of the ninth inning to give No. 20-ranked Marietta College a 7-6 win over Wabash College Monday (Mar. 4) afternoon in the Snowbird Classic. The Pioneers improve to 2-4 on the season, while Wabash slips to 2-2 overall.

The Pioneers led 6-2 after four innings only to see the Little Giants chip away at the lead and eventually tie the game, 6-6, in the bottom of the seventh inning. In the ninth, Alex Richter worked a one-out walk and stole second base. Kaplin followed with the double to drive in Richter with the winning run.

Gabe Torres (1-0) got the win in relief for the Pioneers. He worked the final 2.1 innings and allowed no runs on just one hit and struck out three. Kail Hill started and gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits in 5.2 innings. Forrest havanis allowed one unearned run in 1.0 inning before giving the ball to Torres.

The Etta Express jumped on Wabash in the top of the first inning. Nick Bonnizzio hit the first pitch of the game down the right field line for a double. Trent Valentine sacrificed him to third. Richter walked and stole second. On the throw, Bonnizzio stole home and Richter moved to third when the throw got away at second base.

Kaplin doubled scoring Richter. Cole Year singled moving Kaplin to third. A wild pitch allowed Kaplin to score and moved Yeager to second. Cole Rieman had a base hit bunt and Austin Amburgey followed with an RBI single scoring Yeager with the fourth run of the frame.

Wabash cut the lead in half in the third inning on a two-run single from Nick Logan. Marietta got both runs back in the fourth. Bonnizzio drove in a run with a sac fly and Valentine had an RBI triple.

The Little Giants scored one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and tied the game with a run in the seventh setting up Kaplin's ninth inning heroics.

Gavin Pierson (0-1) threw 6.0 strong innings of relief for Wabash but was tagged with the loss after allowing one run on three hits. Braeden Bryant started and allowed six runs on nine hits in 3.0 innings.

Kaplin led the Pioneer offense with three hits including a pair of doubles. Rieman and Amburgey each had two hits in the game.

Marietta plays Saint John's University at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday (Mar. 5).