Etta Express open Mideast Regional play with 11-2 victory over Kings (Pa.)
Marietta ranked fourth in Mideast Region

May 17, 2006
TERRE HAUTE, Indiana — Marietta College baseball had an impressive return to postseason Wednesday (May 17) evening, as it cruised to an 11-2 victory over Kings (Pa.) in its opening round game of the Mideast Region, which is being hosted by Rose-Hulman (Ind.).

With the victory, the third-seeded Pioneers (36-10) advance to take on seventh-seeded Elizabethtown (Pa.), who upset second-seeded Otterbein, 7-3, in 10 innings on Thursday afternoon. First pitch between the Etta Express and Blue Jays is slated for 1 p.m.

Marietta, ranked No. 23 in the ABCA Collegiate Baseball poll that was released earlier this week, jumped ahead 1-0 in the first frame, when senior Justin Steranka (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) singled home sophomore Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp., Mich./Clintondale).

The Pioneers extended their lead to 6-0 with a five-run third. Junior Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, Mich.) had the big hit, a three-run triple, in the inning. Marietta continued to unload on Monarch pitching in the fourth, when Steranka hit a two-run homer, his sixth of the year.

Junior Mike Eisenberg (Coral Gables, Fla./Bullis) worked five strong innings for Marietta, before leaving the game with a 9-0 lead. Eisenberg, who allowed just three hits, walked one and fanned three en route to his 11th victory in 12 decisions.

Kings finally got on the board in the seventh, when Mike Venarchic started the inning with a home run off freshman Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) to make the score 9-1 in favor of Marietta. It was the only hit Merryman allowed in his two innings of work.

The Pioneers responded with a run of their own in the seventh, when senior Chris Hendricks (Little Hocking/Warren Local) delivered a run-scoring double with two outs.

Both teams added a run in the eighth. Kings plated a run off freshman Don Pugliese (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny), who was making his first varsity appearance on the mound this spring. Marietta’s run came when freshman Josh Beebe (Fleming/Warren Local) singled home Steranka with two out.

Freshman Tim Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton) pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the 11-2 victory and send MC in the second round of the winner’s bracket.

“The guys came out and played well early today,” said Head Coach Brian Brewer after winning his first postseason game with his alma mater. “We were able to establish a big lead and get Eisenberg out of the game. We also got a couple of the younger pitchers some work, which will be important as we move deeper into this Tournament. We did get a little sloppy late in the game and need to make sure that our focus is there for all nine innings.”

Marietta’s senior class, which was making the first appearance in postseason play of its career played a key role in the victory, combining for eight of the team’s 15 hits.

“We learned quickly as freshman under Coach Schaly that in the postseason our team would only go as far as its seniors lead them,” said Steranka, who finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI.

Senior Jarrod Klausman (Altoona, Pa.), junior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) and Beebe each had a pair of hits. Every Marietta starter contributed at least one hit in the victory.

In other action Wednesday, fourth-seeded Manchester (Ind.) defeated fifth-seeded Adrian (Mich.) 10-7. Manchester advanced to take on top-seed Wooster under the lights at 8 p.m.

All of the Pioneers’ action during the Mideast Regional can be heard live on WMOA-AM 1490 and on mariettaonline.com.