Otterbein defeats Marietta 5-4 in 12 innings to claim 2006 OAC Baseball Tournament title
Cardinals earn automatic bid to NCAA Mideast Regional; Pioneers forced to wait on at-large invitation

May. 14, 2006
WESTERVILLE, Ohio — No. 28 Marietta College's baseball marathon ended Sunday evening with disappointment, as No. 22 Otterbein plated a run in the top of the 12th inning and then held on to win the 2006 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament title and secure the automatic bid to the NCAA Mideast Regional. The Pioneers put together a valiant effort just to have a chance at the Championship.

Marietta, who defeated Mount Union and Otterbein both by the score of 12-5 earlier in the day, played 30 innings of baseball on Sunday. With the loss, the Pioneers fell to 35-10 on the year, while the Cardinals improved to 29-14.

Freshmen have played a key role in the Pioneers' success this year, especially on the mound. Marietta Head Coach Brian Brewer turned to first-year pitcher Tim Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton) to start the seventh and deciding game of the OAC Tournament. Knowlton, who was making his first collegiate start, had seen just 8.2 innings at the varsity level prior to Sunday afternoon. The coaching staff asked him to pitch effectively enough to slow down the Otterbein offense until help could be brought into the game in the late innings. Knowlton actually did more than that, scattering three runs on five hits and in five innings.

Marietta took a 3-0 lead with five straight hits in the first inning. Senior Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) doubled home sophomore Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp., Mich./Clintondale), who started the merry-go-round with a one-out single through the left side. Junior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) then singled home senior Jarrod Klausman (Altoona, Pa.) and Steranka with the other two runs. The Pioneers threatened to score more, but Otterbein got out of the inning with a 8-3-2 double play.

The Cardinals plated a run in the second when Pat Connor hit a home run to right field.

The Pioneers added a run in the fourth, when Litke singled home Klausman with two outs.

Otterbein pulled within a run, 4-3, by scoring twice in the fifth. Chris Kovanda had a two-run single through the left side.

In the sixth, Knowlton handed the ball to freshman Scott Dunn (Clinton, Pa./Southside), who worked a scoreless inning before junior Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, Fla./Bullis) took the hill in the seventh.

The Cardinals were able to score an unearned run off Eisenberg in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4. That is where it remained until the top of the 12th, when Otterbein plated a run off Pioneer freshman Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) to take a 5-4 lead. A Connor sacrifice fly allowed Jerry Tugla to score the go-ahead run.

Marietta senior Chris Hendricks (Little Hocking/Warren Local) reached on a double with two out in the bottom of the 12th, but was stranded and Otterbein celebrated its second straight OAC Tournament title.

Merryman (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing one run on four hits in 3.3 innings. Eisenberg worked 2.6 frames and allowed two hits. Doug Stevens, the Tournament MVP, held Marietta's bats silent for four innings in relief of starter Ryne Ratliff, while teammate Trevor Horn (3-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings.

Marietta out hit Otterbein 15-14 in the game and each team had two errors. For the second straight game, six Pioneers had multiple hits against Otterbein pitchers.

Klausman, who finished the Tournament hitting .500 (13-for-26) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, nine runs scored and eight RBI, was named to the All-Tournament team. Joining him on the All-Tournament team were teammates Steranka, Piconke, Litke and Eisenberg.

Marietta will find out early Monday (May 15) morning if it will get to play another game this season. NCAA Regional selections are scheduled to be released tomorrow at 8 a.m.