Etta Express tops Texas-Dallas, 8-1, to open Abilene Classic
Baumler improves to 2-0 and Piconke blasts third home run of the year in victory

March 12, 2007
ABILENE, Texas — Much like the season opener in Georgia, sophomore pitcher Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) made sure that the No. 7 Marietta College baseball team started its trip to Texas with a victory. The Pioneers' ace shut down Texas-Dallas over seven innings, while the offense slugged out 16 hits en route to an 8-1 victory over the Comets. The victory improves Marietta's record to 4-0. Texas-Dallas falls to 12-5. [Box Score]

Baumler, a right-hander, scattered six hits, walked three and struck out three to improve to 2-0 on the spring. Sophomore T.J. Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton) and freshman Nate Eschbaugh (Marietta) each worked an inning out of the bullpen. Knowlton struck out two, while Eschbaugh, who made his first collegiate appearance, allowed one unearned run in the ninth.

Three Marietta hitters finished with three hits in the win. Senior Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, Mich.) went 3-for-4 with two walks and reached base in all five at-bats, junior Tom Doty (Mentor) finished 3-for-3 and sophomore Don Pugliese (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) had three hits and two RBI in four at-bats.

In addition, freshman Danny Jones (Lima/Shawnee) added two hits and two runs scored, while senior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) went 2-for-5 with a run scored and RBI.

Marietta broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third when it plated four runs. Belanger and Jones led off the inning with singles and junior Tony Piconke (Clinton, Mich./Clintondale) followed with a walk. A Litke groundout scored Belanger and then junior Dom Winters (Washington, Pa.) delivered a two-run single to left field. Winters later scored on a RBI single by Pugliese.

Piconke continued to demonstrate his early-season power in the fourth with a two-run home run to left center. The home run, his third of the year, drove in Belanger, who walked to lead off the frame, and give the Etta Express a 6-0 lead.

Marietta added a pair of runs in the ninth. Litke singled to start the frame and advanced to second on a passed ball. Winters followed with a walk. Pugliese then drove in Litke two batters later with a single to left center. Sophomore Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) completed the scoring for the Pioneers with a RBI single to right field to score Winters, Marietta's eighth run of the game.

After the Etta Express takes on host McMurry this afternoon, it will return to action Tuesday (March 13) with a single, nine-inning game against Southwest (N.M.) at 1 p.m. The action can be heard locally on WMOA-AM 1490 and online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.