No. 10 Marietta powers its way past the Quakers in an OAC doubleheader

Apr. 4, 2005
WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Marietta College baseball team, ranked 10h in the nation according to the ABCA/Collegiate Baseball Poll, extended its winning streak to 11 games with a doubleheader sweep of Wilmington, 18-3 and 7-1, Monday (Apr. 4). The two Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) victories improve the Etta Express' record to 4-0 in the Conference and 16-3-1 overall.

Marietta's offense came out swinging from inning one today, as it plated three runs in its opening at-bat. Senior Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) got things started with a single to center. Back-to-back singles by sophomore Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, MI) and freshman Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp, MI/Clintondale) loaded the bases for Marietta with no outs. Wilmington's starter was able to retire the next two hitters, but junior Lee Guerrera (Wolcott, CT) continued to come through in the clutch. This time he ripped a double to right, which scored three, one as a result of a throwing error, to put the Pioneers ahead 3-0.

A Sidick single jump started Marietta's offense again in the second, as Belanger singled home Sidick, who stole second during the at-bat.

Junior Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) opened the third frame with a double, which was followed by a RBI double by junior Chris Hendricks (Little Hocking/Warren). Freshman Zack Welch (Vincent/Warren) then singled home Hendricks for Marietta's sixth run of the game.

Sidick tripled home two runs and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth to give MC a 9-2 advantage heading into the sixth inning.

The Pioneers played long ball in the sixth and seventh innings to break the game open completely. Steranka homered to left with one out in the sixth. Sophomore John Sciullo (Bethel Park, PA) followed four hitters later with a three-run bomb. Piconke also doubled home two more later in the inning. Hendricks added a three-run home run in the seventh to complete the scoring for the Pioneers.

Marietta finished with 18 runs on 20 hits, but committed four errors. Wilmington totaled three runs on six hits and made one error in game one.

Belanger went 4-for-5 and Sidick finished game one 3-for-4 with four runs scored and two RBI. Welch also added three hits in the win. In addition, Hendricks scored four runs and had four RBI to go along with his two hits.

Senior Mike Mooney (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy) allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits over six innings to pick up his seventh win of the spring. Mooney (7-0) walked four and struck out five in the victory. Freshman Jeff Feigel (Severn, MD/Arundel) pitched the seventh inning and gave up one hit.

The Etta Express jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game two when Steranka hit a two-run home run, his second of the day. Marietta added another run in the third when Belanger singled, stole second and scored on a Piconke RBI single to right.

Wilmington got on the board in the fourth, when an infield single off Pioneers' starter Justin Papania (Butler, PA) scored a run.

Papania (3-1) shutdown the Quakers the rest of the way and Marietta added four insurance runs in the sixth in route to a 7-1 victory. The senior allowed just three hits, walked one and fanned eight in the win.

Piconke and Welch each finished with three, while Sciullo added two of the Pioneers' 11 hits in game two.

Marietta is scheduled to return to action Wednesday (Apr. 6) against Denison. The time of the JV/Varsity doubleheader at Pioneer Park has yet to be determined.