Pioneers hold off Lions 8-6 to end Georgia trip 3-0
Freshman Tyler Penwell picks up victory in relief

March 4, 2007
DEMOREST, Georgia — Eight different Pioneers scored a run and a pair of freshman pitchers helped the No. 7 Marietta College baseball team pull off an 8-6 victory over host Piedmont College Sunday (March 4) afternoon at Loudermilk Field.

The victory, improved the Etta Express’ record to 3-0 on the young season. The Lions fall to 3-9. Freshman Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) made his debut in the pin stripes and earned the win in relief, while Peidmont’s Josh Strickland (1-2) suffered the loss.

Marietta out-hit Piedmont 10 to six in the game. The Lions committed five errors, while the Pioneers had three.

Junior Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, Mich.) opened the game by drawing a walk and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of junior designated hitter Tom Doty (Mentor).

The game went quickly until the seventh as each team turned a series of double plays. It was Belanger’s bat that accounted for the second run of the game. His seventh-inning single up to center plated senior Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta), who reach on an error earlier in the frame.

The Lions finally got to Marietta freshman starter Joe Pitrone (Highland Heights/Mayfield) in the bottom of the seventh frame, when a two-out double by Cole Spedale drove in Andrew Nissley to bring the home team within a run, 2-1. The next batter, pinch hitter Matt Devito, followed with a walk. After a double-steal moved runners to second and third, Devin Hussey delivered a two-run double to give the Lions a 3-2 advantage and knock Pitrone out of the game.

The Etta Express answered with five runs in the top of the eighth inning to reclaim control. Sophomore Cameron Cimino (Boardman) and junior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) drew back-to-back one-out walks. Junior Dom Winters (Washington, Pa.) followed with a RBI single to tie the game at 3-3. A Don Pugliese (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) single loaded the bases. Sophomore Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) stepped to the plate two batters later and drilled a two-run single up the middle to give MC a 5-3 lead. Belanger added another run with a single of his own and Merryman added the fifth run of the evening on a double steal attempt. Belanger was eventually tagged out on the play but not before the Etta Express had its seventh run of the game.

Piedmont roared back with a three-run eighth to pull back within a run, 7-6. All of the runs were unearned with Penwell on the hill.

The scoring spree continued in the top of the ninth, when Danny Jones (Lima/Shawnee) reached on a two-base error and scored on a Cimino sacrifice fly.

Penwell retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win. He finished the day allowing three runs (all unearned) on one hit. Penwell struck out one in 2 1/3 innings of work. Pitrone allowed three runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked six.

Belanger finished the day 3-for-3 with two walks. Seven of his teammates had one hit apiece in the victory. Both Belanger and Merryman picked up a pair of RBI.

Marietta is off until March 12, when it opens a seven-game trip to Texas with a match-up against Texas-Dallas at 1 p.m. and then plays McMurry (Texas) at 4:30 p.m. Both games will be played at McMurry in Abilene. All of the action can be heard online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.