Etta Express split twin bill on final day of spring trip

Mar. 12, 2005
PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida - The Marietta College baseball team concluded its spring break trip with a doubleheader split against Fitchburg (MA). The Etta Express took the first game behind a pitching gem from sophomore Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, FL/Bullis), but lost the second contest to finish the week 5-3-1.

Eisenberg made his first start and second appearance of the spring this afternoon. The lengthy righthander scattered three hits and struck out seven in the complete-game victory.

Senior Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) jump started Marietta's offense in the third with a lead off triple. Sophomore Lee Guerrera (Wolcott, CT) drove him in with a single to right for the Pioneers' first run of the day.

Freshman Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp, MI/Clintondale) plated the second run for the Etta Express in the sixth, when he scored from first on a Joe Litke (Windsor, CT) single. Marietta added three runs on five hits in the seventh.

Senior Bo Cooksey (Atwater/Waterloo), who was given the start in game two, struggled early and did not make it out of the third inning. Cooksey (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits, striking out two and walking four. Juniors Bill Bakos (Framingham, MA) and Brian Hanolt (East Palestine) tried to hold Fitchburg until Marietta's offense came to life. However, Fitchburg was able to tack on five more runs and pull away for the 8-2 victory.

The Etta Express' two runs came by way of a Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, MI) single, which scored Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) and Chris Hendricks (Little Hocking/Warren), who singled and walked to open the inning, respectively.

Sidick and Piconke each finished with two hits for Marietta, who totaled just seven in the loss. Piconke also pitched a perfect seventh.

Marietta finished the trip, an emotional one that included the death of legendary (former) coach Don Schaly, hitting .342, fielding .925 and with a team ERA of 3.58. The Pioneers will return to action with a busy weekend at Pioneer Park. Marietta will play host to Dubuque (IA) Friday (Mar. 18) at 3:30 p.m. It will then play Thiel (PA) Saturday at 1 p.m. and then battle Hanover (IN) in a doubleheader Sunday at 12 p.m.