Return to first place short-lived as Otterbein earns split to knock Etta Express out of top spot

Apr. 25, 2005
MARIETTA, Ohio - Wasted opportunities. That has become a the theme at Pioneer Park over the last few weeks, as Marietta College baseball has had its opportunities to take control of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) standings. The Etta Express, however, have split their last four doubleheaders and currently trail both Heidelberg and Otterbein, their opponent today, with six games to play. Marietta slugged its way to a 7-4 game one victory against the Cardinals, but its offense was slowed in game two and Otterbein pulled out a 3-2 win to salvage a split.

Marietta (23-8-1, 8-4 OAC) opened the day one game behind Conference leader Otterbein (17-10, 9-3 OAC).

Junior Mike DeMark (Jeanette, PA/Penn-Trafford) took the hill in game one for the Pioneers. Marietta opened the game with two straight errors, enabling Otterbein to score a run, but DeMark struck out the final two hitters to prevent further damage.

Senior Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) quickly tied the game at 1-1 with a home run to right center to lead off the bottom of the first. Marietta added another run when sophomore Joe Litke (Windsor, CT) singled home freshman Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp, Mi/Clintondale) with two outs in the frame.

Otterbein and Marietta each plated a run in the second inning. The Cardinals strung together back-to-back hits, while a RBI ground out by junior Chris Hendricks (Little Hocking/Warren) scored sophomore Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta).

A Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) home run to lead off the third gave Marietta a 4-2 advantage. Otterbein scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to tie the score, but Steranka gave the Etta Express the lead for good with a two-run homer to center, his second of the game and seventh of the year, in the bottom of the fifth.

Sidick singled home Eschbaugh for an insurance run in the sixth and DeMark retired the side in order in the seventh to pick up the complete game victory and improve to 7-0 on the spring. DeMark scattered seven hits and allowed just two earned runs, while striking out six in the win. Freshman Dan Remenowsky suffered his first loss of the year, giving up seven runs on 10 hits in 5.6 innings of work. Remenowsky (5-1) walked three and fanned four in the loss.

Sidick finished game one 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Steranka had two hits and drove in three. Eschbaugh added two of Marietta's 10 hits and crossed the plate twice in the victory.

Otterbein sent Robert Benjamin to the mound in game two, looking for a split and it got just what it asked for behind a solid performance from its senior pitcher. Benjamin allowed just two runs on four hits and struck out eight in the complete game victory, improving to 3-2 on the year.

Pioneers starter Mike Mooney (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy) had his third straight sub-par performance. Mooney lasted just 2.3 innings, giving up two runs on two hits, before sophomore Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, FL/Bullis) relieved him. Eisenberg allowed one run on three hits in 1.6 innings. He took the loss to fall to 4-2 on the year. Senior Justin Papania (Butler, PA) game in to shutdown the Cardinals over the last 3.0 innings, but Marietta's offense could not get going in the night cap and the Pioneers fell 3-2.

Both of Marietta's runs were scored from first base by Sidick. Freshman Zack Welch (Vincent/Warren) drove him in with a double to right in the first, while Piconke , who had two of Marietta's four hits in the loss, did the same in the third frame.

Otterbein scored two runs in the first on a two-run home run by Bobby Wright and added the winning run in the fifth on Wright's RBI single.

Marietta will look to stay in the race for home field advantage in the OAC Tournament when it returns to Pioneer Park Saturday (Apr. 30) to battle Ohio Northern in a doubleheader at 1 p.m.