Etta Express fall from first place in the OAC after doubleheader split with Baldwin-Wallace

Apr. 16, 2005
BEREA, Ohio - The combination of two wins by Otterbein over Mount Union and No. 11 Marietta dropping one out of two games on the road to Baldwin-Wallace, moved the Pioneers out of first place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Saturday (Apr. 16). The Etta Express and the Yellow Jackets went to battle on a beautiful day in northeast Ohio. Baldwin-Wallace took advantage of some Marietta errors to win game one 7-2, but the Pioneers turned the tables on the Yellow Jackets and salvaged a split with a 9-3 victory in the nightcap.

Baldwin-Wallace (14-7, 7-2 OAC) jumped all over Marietta (21-5-1, 6-2 OAC) in the opener, scoring five runs of starter Mike Mooney (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy) in just 2.3 innings. Mooney allowed six hits and lost for the first time in nine decisions. A. Krieger pitched a complete game to pick up the win, improving to 3-2 on the spring. The right-hander scattered nine hits and fanned three in the win.

Marietta's only two runs came on a two-run homer by junior Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) in the fourth inning. The Pioneers had other opportunities throughout the game, but were unable to take advantage and B-W won game one 7-2. Steranka, freshman Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp, MI/Clintondale) and junior Lee Guerrera (Wolcott, CT) each had two hits in the loss.

The Etta Express turned to junior Mike DeMark (Jeanette, PA/Penn-Trafford) to quiet the Yellow Jackets' swarming offense in the nightcap and DeMark stepped up to do just that, resulting in a 9-3 victory for the Pioneers.

DeMark allowed three runs on four hits and struck out 11 over 6.0 innings to improve to 6-0 in 2005. Senior Justin Papania (Butler, PA) pitched a perfect seventh to secure the win.

Marietta trailed the second game 1-0 after four frames, but it scored three runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. The Pioneers added a single run in the sixth and then exploded for five runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Senior Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan), sophomore Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta), Piconke and Steranka all finished with two hits and a RBI in the win.

B-W senior Mike Turchan took the loss, falling to 1-2 on the year. Marietta out-hit the Yellow Jackets 12-4, while Baldwin-Wallace made three errors in the game.

The Etta Express will return to action Tuesday (Apr. 19) for a single nine-inning game against No. 5 Wooster. First pitch at Pioneer Park is slated for 7 p.m.