Etta Express take control of the OAC race with sweep of Ohio Northern

May 1, 2005
MARIETTA, Ohio - It was a great day at Pioneer Park Sunday (May 1), as the Etta Express swept visiting Ohio Northern, 8-1 & 7-5, and gained sole possession of first place thanks to game one losses by both Otterbein and Heidelberg, who entered the day with the same amount of losses as the Pioneers. Otterbein went on to splt a doubleheader with Baldwin-Wallace, while Heidelberg lost two contests at home against Wilmington.

With the two wins, the Pioneers moved to 25-8-1 overall and 10-4 in the OAC, while the Polar Bears fell to 15-18-1 overall and 4-10 in Conference play.

Marietta received a solid pitching performance from senior Justin Papania (Butler, PA) in game one. Papania started off shaky, as Ohio Northern loaded the bases with no outs in the first frame. The righthander, however, struck out three straight to get out of the jam without any damage done. Papania went on to allow just six hits in the complete-game victory. ONU's only run came on a home run by Kyle Chard in the third inning. Papania struck out a season-high nine batters en route to improving to 4-2 on the spring.

Marietta's offense roughed up Polar Bears' starter Adam Crane (5-5) for eight runs on 10 hits in 5.0 inning of work. The Pioneers exploded for five runs on six hits in the second inning. The onslaught was highlighted by a two-run single by junior catcher Lee Guerrera (Wolcott, CT) and a RBI triple by freshman left fielder Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp, MI/Clintondale). Piconke actually scored on the play when the relay was mishandled by the second baseman.

The Etta Express added three insurance runs in the fifth, when freshman Zack Welch (Vincent/Warren) drove in two with a single and sophomore Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, MI) plated the final run with a ground out.

Piconke finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI, while Welch and sophomore Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta) each had two hits in the win.

Ohio Northern had Marietta on the ropes in game two, but a remarkable catch by senior standout Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) in the top of the seventh preserved a 7-5 win for the Etta Express.

The Pioneers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning, when Belanger singled home Eschbaugh with two outs. Belanger picked up another RBI in the fourth with a sacrifice fly that scored Joe Litke (Windsor, CT), and Marietta led 2-0 after four frames.

Ohio Northern battled back to tie the score in the fifth with two unearned runs off Pioneers' starter Mike Mooney (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy). Marietta responded with three runs of its own to win the inning and regain the lead, 5-2. Litke had the big base hit in the inning, a two-run single down the right field line, past a diving first baseman.

The Polar Bears clawed back with another run in the sixth only for Marietta to answer with two more of its own in the bottom of the inning. Piconke drew a bases loaded walk and Litke followed with a RBI ground out to put MC ahead 7-3.

Ohio Northern rallied in the seventh, scoring two runs and threatening to take the lead. Sidick, however, ran down a shot to center field for the second out of the inning and junior Mike DeMark (Jeanette, PA/Penn-Trafford) entered to get the final out to secure the sweep.

Mooney improved to 9-2, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits in 6.0 innings. Freshman Jeff Feigl (Severn, MD/Arundel) and sophomore Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, FL/Bullis) each got one out in the seventh, while DeMark got the final out and picked up his second save of the year. ONU's Brett Auer suffered the loss, falling to 5-5 on the spring.

Offensively, Marietta had 10 hits for the second straight game. Sidick, Eschbaugh and Guerrera each finished with two hits in the victory.

The Pioneers, who now hold a slim one-game lead over Otterbein in the OAC standings, return to action Wednesday (May 4), when Mount Union visits Pioneer Park for a 4 p.m. doubleheader.