BEREA, Ohio — Cael Magill delivered a pinch hit, two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning as Marietta College defeated Ohio Northern, 4-2, Friday (May 10) afternoon eliminating the Polar Bears from the Ohio Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament.
 
Marietta improves to 22-18 on the season and advances to play Otterbein University for the right to meet Baldwin Wallace University for the championship. Ohio Northern finishes their season with a 24-17 overall record.
 
The Pioneers built a 2-0 lead with runs in the second and third innings. Marietta took advantage of a Polar Bear error to plate an unearned run in the second. Austin Amburgey lined an RBI double to centerfield in the third.
 
Senior Trent Valentine started on the mound and dominated the ONU hitters through the first seven innings. Heading into the top of the eighth, Valentine had limited the Polar Bears to just four hits and only allowed two runners to reach second base.
 
In the eighth, Sam Sells reached on a one-out single and then Chase Armstrong and Kyler Lapp walked loading the bases. Logan Stevens was hit by a pitch driving in Sells and cutting the Pioneer lead to one run, 2-1.
 
Marietta went to the bullpen and brought in Gabe Torres to pitch. The first batter Torres faced, Robbie Reed, lifted a fly ball to center field that was deep enough for Armstrong to tag and score tying the game at 2-2. After the catch, Lapp was caught in a rundown and tagged out to end the inning.
 
In the home half of the eighth, Jeremy Tonelli laced a one-out double down the left field line. Valentine singled through the left side of the infield moving Tonelli to third. Following a strikeout, Valentine stole second. Magill was called on to pinch hit for Torres and lined a single to center scoring Tonelli and Valentine for a 4-2 Pioneer lead.
 
Forrest Havanis pitched the ninth for Marietta retiring ONU in order for his first save of the season. Valentine worked 7.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Torres (5-1) threw 0.2 innings for the win.
 
Noah Truax started for the Polar Bears and gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits in 6.1 innings. He walked four and struck out four. Blake Peterson (2-3) took the loss allowing two runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Peterson struck out three.
 
Thomson Babineau was the one player in the game with two hits. Amburgey and Tonelli each had a double, while Magill drove in two runs.