MC baseball splits twin bill on day two of Abilene trip
Pioneers fall to McMurry 11-1, but bounce back to topple Southern Nazarene 11-0

Mar. 14, 2006
ABILENE, Texas — The eighth-ranked Marietta College baseball team went 1-1 and day two of its 2006 spring break trip. Head Coach Brian Brewer’s squad suffered an 11-1 loss to host McMurry (TX) in the first game, before topping Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 11-0 in seven innings. It was the second straight day the Pioneers defeated the Crimson Storm.

Marietta improved to 3-4 on the season and 3-1 on the spring trip.

Freshman Scott Dunn made his first collegiate start against McMurry. The Indians jumped ahead 1-0 in the first frame and added another run in the second, before exploding for five runs in the fourth. Dunn lasted three-plus innings, allowing five runs on five hits, while walking three and striking out one.

Marietta scored its only run in the fifth inning. Junior Joe Litke started the frame with a pinch-hit single and advanced to second when junior Ryan Eschbaugh reached base on an error. Senior Lee Guerrera sacrificed both runners over with a bunt and then Litke scored on a RBI groundout by junior Ryan Belanger.

McMurry went on to add another run in the fifth, two more in the sixth and its final run in the seventh en route to an 11-1 victory.

The Pioneers’ bats totaled eight hits, three of which came from sophomore Tony Piconke.

Sophomore Mike Ryan as well as freshmen Alex Sedam, Tim Knowlton and Steve Gruenberg each saw their first action on the mound of the spring trip in the first game.

Marietta took a brief break before coming back to battle Southern Nazarene for the second time in as many days. The result was similar to Monday’s game, as the Pioneers’ bats struck early and often en route to an 11-0 win.

Senior Chris Hendricks got Marietta on the board with a one-out home run in the first. Senior Jarrod Klausman followed with a walk, stole second and then scored on a RBI double by sophomore Dom Winters to give MC a 2-0 lead after one inning.

Marietta added three more runs in the second frame. Senior Justin Steranka led off with a walk and scored the first run when Hendricks drew a bases loaded walk. Klausman delivered to next two runs with a RBI double to right field.

The top of the third inning brought three more runs home for the Pioneers. Steranka singled and scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Eschbaugh. Belanger followed with a walk and then both score on when Hendricks drilled a double into the left center gap.

A Steranka double scored Piconke and gave Marietta a 9-0 lead in the fourth. The Pioneers plated their final runs in the fifth, when Eschbaugh opened with a single and eventually scored on a RBI groundout by Klausman. Belanger was hit by a pitch following Eschbaugh’s single and later scored the 11th run on a wild pitch.

While the Pioneers were busy circling the bases, freshman pitcher Ryan Dennick was limiting the Crimson Storm to four hits over seven innings. Dennick, who improved to 1-1 on the year, struck out nine and walked two in the victory that was ended early because of a 10-run rule.

Marietta finished with eight hits, while Southern Nazarene committed five errors. Hendricks and Steranka each had two hits and Hendricks added four RBI.

The Pioneers will return to action Wednesday (Mar. 15), when they take on Southwestern (TX) at 4 p.m. and then Hardin-Simmons (TX) under the lights at 8 p.m. Both games can be heard on WMOA-AM 1490 and on the Internet at mariettaonline.com