PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida — No. 2 ranked Marietta College broke open a close game with seven runs in its final two at bats to defeat Misericordia University by the score of 10-2 Tuesday (March 8) afternoon at the Snowbird Baseball Classic.
The Pioneers have now won six straight games and stand 6-1 on the season. The Cougars fall to 4-5 overall.
Misericordia struck first plating a run in the top of the second inning. Derrick Vosburg and Austin Miles singled to start the inning. Brendan Gray moved both runners up one base with a sacrifice bunt and Jason Sanfilippo followed with a sac fly to centerfield scoring Vosburg. Miles was thrown out trying to advance to third ending the inning.
It didn't take Marietta long to even the score. Brett Carson led off the bottom of the frame with a solo home run over the left field wall.
The Cougars loaded the bases in the fourth inning with no outs chasing Pioneer starter Zach Marzetz from the game. Senior Isaac Danford took over on the hill and allowed a sac fly to score a run before retiring the next hitters.
Trent Castle continued to swing the hot bat for Marietta delivering an RBI double down the left field line to tie the game, 2-2. Turner Hill singled, moved to second on a balk and scored on Castle's two-bagger.
A dropped pop up by Misericordia in the sixth cost the Cougars an unearned run and gave the Etta Express it first lead of the day. Marietta added three more in the seventh and put the game away with a four spot in the eighth.
Hill and Logan Vietmeier had RBI singles in the seventh, while Damian Yenzi knocked in a run with a double to right field.
Castle picked up two more RBI in the eight with a bases-loaded single and Vietmeier delivered a run-scoring double in the frame.
Marzetz started and pitched 3.0 innings giving up two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out one. Danford threw 2.2 innings of shutout relief striking out three and allowing one hits before turning the game over to Sam Mathews. Mathews (1-0) tossed 3.1 innings of one-hit relief for the win.
Joe Valenti (0-1) started and took the loss for Misericordia. He pitched 6.1 innings and allowed five runs, only two earned, on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Connor Maryniak and K=Jared Kay each threw in relief.
Vietmeier finished the game 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Catsle had a double, single and three RBI, while Hill was 2-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored.
Marietta will enjoy an off day tomorrow. The Pioneers next game is against St. John's University on Thursday (March 10) at 10 a.m.