Piconke's bat leads Etta Express past Thiel 11-5

Mar. 19, 2005
MARIETTA, Ohio - The Etta Express rolled on Saturday (Mar. 19) with an 11-5 victory over visiting Thiel (PA) at Pioneer Park. Freshman Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp, MI/Clintondale) supplied much of the fire power offensively with four hits in five at-bats for the Pioneers, who improved to 7-3-1 overall. Thiel fell to 4-7 on the season.

Marietta pounded out 16 hits, six for extra bases, and for the second straight day, committed no errors in the win. Piconke singled to lead off the second inning and scored on a throwing error for the Pioneers' first run.

Thiel's Kinsey Henderson hit a solo home run of Pioneers starter Mike DeMark (Jeanette, PA. Penn-Trafford) in the top of the fourth for the Tomcats first run of the game.

Another Piconke single kick-started a three-run fourth for the Etta Express. Junior Lee Guerrera (Wolcott, CT) followed with a walk and both Pioneers scored on a triple off the bat of junior Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon). Junior Chris Hendricks (Little Hocking/Warren) doubled home Steranka for the third run of the inning.

Senior Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) hit a solo home run in the fifth to put Marietta ahead 5-1. The Etta Express exploded for six runs in the sixth frame, highlighted by a Piconke grand slam.

Henderson drove in Thiel's next run with a double in the sixth and Bob Flucas hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth to round out the scoring for the Tomcats.

DeMark (2-0) scattered two runs on five hits with five strikeouts through seven innings, before giving way to freshman Jeff Feigel (Severn, MD/Arundel), who pitched a perfect eighth. Senior Bo Cooksey (Atwater/Waterloo) pitched the ninth for Marietta, allowing three runs on two hits, before striking out two to seal the game.

In addition to Piconke's four hits, Steranka, Hendricks and freshman Zach Welch (Vincent/Warren) each finished with two in the victory.

Marietta will return to action tomorrow (Mar. 20) when they battle Hanover (IN) in a doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.