Etta Express rolls past Heidelberg 11-1 in OAC Tournament opener
Marietta will take on top-seeded Otterbein Friday at 9:30 a.m.

May. 11, 2006
WESTERVILLE, Ohio — The Marietta College baseball team accomplished goal #1 Thursday (May 11) afternoon, as it rolled past Heidelberg College, 11-1, in game one of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament at Fishbaugh Field on the campus of Otterbein College.

With the victory, second-seeded Marietta (33-8) advances to take on top-seeded Otterbein (27-13) Friday (May 12) at 9:30 a.m. in the most important game of the Tournament. Otterbein pounded Mount Union 17-0 in its Tournament opener. The winner of the Pioneers vs. Cardinals game will advance to Saturday's Championship Game at 12 p.m. and watch as the three remaining teams battle for the other spot. That team would have to defeat the game three winner twice on Saturday to steal the Championship.

Junior Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, Fla./Bullis) dominated the Student Princes for eight innings. His only blemish came when Tyler Tocco hit a fifth-inning solo home run to left field. Eisenberg allowed just four hits and struck out 10 to improve to 10-1 on the year. Freshman Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) worked a scoreless ninth to seal the victory.

Heidelberg's David Paddock (4-2) took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in three innings.

Marietta's offense gave Eisenberg immediate run support by plating three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, Mich.) started things off with a double just over the first baseman's head. Freshman Josh Beebe (Fleming/Warren Local) sacrificed Belanger over to third and then senior Jarrod Klausman (Altoona, Pa.) was hit by a pitch, before senior Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, PA./Mt. Lebanon) delivered a RBI single to right field to score Belanger, the first run of the game. Sophomore Tom Doty's (Mentor) single loaded the bases with one out. Following a fielder's choice by senior Lee Guerrera (Wolcott, Conn.) that forced Klausman out at home, senior Chris Hendricks (Little Hocking/Warren Local) drilled a two-run ground-rule double to left center field, allowing Steranka and Doty to score.

The Pioneers added a pair of runs in the third. Klausman led off the frame with a single and stole second base. Steranka then reached on an infield single; Klauman remained at second on the hit. An error on a double steal allowed Klausman to score. Hendrick later drove in Steranka, his third RBI of the game, when he reached on an error.

Tocco's home run in the fifth made the score 5-1. Marietta, however, increased its advantage to 7-1 with a two-run sixth. Junior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) and Klausman each had RBI singles in the inning.

The Pioneers broke the game completely open with a four-run seventh, as the Student Princes committed three errors in the inning. Belanger picked up an RBI when he reached pn one of the errors. Litke drove in another run on a fielder's choice, while Klausman tripled home Litke for the final run of the game.

Marietta out hit Heidelberg 14-4 in the win. The Student Princes committed five errors in the game.

Steranka finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a RBI. Klausman went 3-for-4 with a runs scored and two RBI. Hendrick, Litke and sophomore Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp., Mich./Clintondale) each added two hits in the win.

All of the Pioneers' action during the OAC Tournament can be heard live on voice of the Etta Express, WMOA-AM 1490 and mariettaonline.com.