Etta Express voted eighth in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper preseason poll

Written with the help of Ron Johnson of the Parkersburg News & Sentinel
Dec. 30, 2005
MARIETTA, Ohio — The 2006 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper NCAA Division III preseason poll was revealed Dec. 23, and Marietta College was selected No. 8 in the poll.

Marietta, who plays in the Ohio Athletic Conference, finished 32-10 last season.

Wooster, who finished third in the 2005 national tournament in Appleton, Wis., was picked No. 1, while Wisconsin-Whitewater, the D-III World Series champion, was tabbed No. 18.

Otterbein, the defending OAC Tournament champion, was selected No. 15.

In 2006, MC is scheduled to play at both Wooster (April 12) and Otterbein (April 22) in Westerville.

Last season, the Pioneers, who finished as the OAC regular-season champ, were ranked fifth in the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll and third in Baseball America’s Top 5. But in the final poll in June, the Etta Express was unranked.

Some of Marietta’s key returnees in 2006 will be Mike DeMark (pitcher), Mike Eisenberg (pitcher), Ryan Belanger (outfield/shortstop), Lee Guerrera (catcher), Joe Litke (infielder), Jarrod Klausman (utility), Tony Piconke (outfield/pitcher), Chris Hendricks (outfield/catcher), and Zack Welch (infielder).

In its storied baseball history, MC has claimed three national titles (1981, 1983, 1986) and finished national runners-up seven times in 18 World Series appearances.

The Pioneers finished second their last appearance in the World Series at Appleton in 2002.

Since 2003, Marietta, despite winning two regular-season crowns, has not been able to advance past OAC Tournament play to regional competition.

Since Brian Brewer has been at the helm, he has guided the Pioneers to a 63-21-1 record. In 2004, he succeeded the late Don Schaly, who retired after the 2003 campaign.

Marietta is slated to open its season against Salisbury (Md.) and Montclair State (N.J.), respectively, in the Tri-State Tournament in Salisbury, Md., on March 4.

Salisbury is ranked No. 30 (tied with Aurora and Washington-St. Louis) in the preseason poll, while Montclair also garnered some votes but was not included in the top 30.

After the Tri-State tourney, the Pioneers head to Texas for the first time to compete during their Spring Break in Abilene. On March 13, Marietta faces Southern Nazarene of Oklahoma. Also on the schedule are games against Friends (Kansas), McMurray (Texas), Southwestern (Texas), Hardin-Simmons (Texas), Nebraska Wesleyan and Texas Wesleyan.

On March 21, MC will play its home opener and a non-conference tilt against St. Vincent (Pa.) at Pioneer Park. The Pioneers open up OAC play versus visiting Wilmington April 1.