MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College will play for the NCAA Division III Regional championship for the third straight season after posting an 8-3 win over case Western Reserve University Saturday (May 20) evening at Don and Sue Schaly Field.
The Etta Express improves to 36-11 on the season and will play the winner of Case Western and Adrian College at noon on Sunday (May 21). Case Western drops to 28-14 overall and play Adrian in the third game of the day Saturday.
""We expect that type of performance out of Gino. He's a fifth-year guy and he has had some really shiny, bright moments in this program," Marietta head coach Brian Brewer said. "He has struggled a little bit this season, so it's rewarding to see him have success. He deserves it."
Case Western jumped on Pioneer starter Zach Marzetz right out of the gates. The Spartans had several well hit ball in the first but failed to push any runs across the plate. They did get on the board with two runs in the second inning chasing Marzetz from the game. Owen Levinson and Jack Anderson each had RBI singles in the second.
Gino Sabatine took over for Marzetz and had his best outing of the season tossing 5.2 innings for the win. Sabatine (3-2) allowed one run on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Jared Bees gave up one hit over the final 2.0 innings.
Case Western starter Evan Faxon cruised through the first three innings allowing just one base runner and striking out five Pioneers. Marietta finally got to Faxon in the fourth inning plating four runs to take a 4-2 lead.
Nick Bonnizzio led off with a single and moved to third on a single from Brett Carson. Carson moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Following a strikeout, Cole Rieman grounded out but Bonnizzio scored on the play. Trent Valentine walked and then designated hitter Cole Yeager launched a three-run home run over the wall in straight away centerfield.
Faxon (5-4) was pulled in the fourth. He was tagged with the loss allowing four runs on four hits in 3.2 innings. Faxon walked four and struck out six. Patrick O'Connor took over on the mound and would give up three runs in the fifth inning as the Pioneers extended their lead to 7-2.
Carson led off the fifth with a walk and then Ty Davis singled. A wild pitch moved both runners up one base. Rieman drove in a run with an RBI double and Yeager plated one with a groundout and a Mathew Busby sac fly scored the third run of the inning.
Nick harms hit a solo home run in the sixth and the Pioneers added an insurance run in the eighth on a Carson single.
Yeager finished with the home run and four RBI. Carson and Rieman had two hits each.
Jack Anderson led Case Western going 4-for-5. Logan Andreyko had two hits. Spartan third baseman saw his 32-game hitting streak come to an end as he went 0-for-5 in the game.