Etta Express finishes Abilene Classic with victory over Southwestern, 13-6, and loss to Hardin-Simmons, 10-4
Marietta travels to Forth Worth Friday for twinbill with Texas Wesleyan before returning home

March 14, 2007
ABILENE, Texas — The National Champion Marietta College baseball team, ranked seventh nationally in the preseason, wrapped up its play in the Abilene Classic with a 3-2 record after defeating Southwestern (Texas), 13-6, and losing to Hardin-Simmons (Texas), 10-4, on Wednesday (March 14) afternoon.

The Etta Express (6-2) scored runs in bunches against the Pirates (7-12) in the first game of the day, which was played on Hardin-Simmons' home field. Overall, Marietta out-hit Southwestern 11-10.

Sophomore Tim Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton), who was making his third appearance of the trip, got the start and earned the victory to improve to 1-0. Knowlton spotted Southwestern a 5-0 lead after the first inning; the Pirates had five hits in the frame.

Marietta put together a five-run inning of its own in the bottom of the second to tie the game. Sophomore designated hitter Cameron Cimino (Boardman) started the inning with a walk, advanced to second base on a wild pitch and scored on a triple by freshman catcher Danny Jones (Lima/Shawnee). Jones crossed the plate, when sophomore third baseman Brennan Cribbins(Middleburg Heights/Midpark), the next hitter, sent a sacrifice fly to center field. Sophomore right fielder Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) and senior shortstop Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta) then drew back-to-back walks, before senior second baseman Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, Mich.) tripled, driving in both of them. Belanger scored the fifth run on a sacrifice fly by left fielder Don Pugliese (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny).

Southwestern reclaimed the lead, 7-5, with a two-run third off Knowlton. Both runs were unearned after an error kept the inning alive.

The Etta Express scored three runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. Junior center fielder Tony Piconke (Clinton, Mich./Clintondale) led off with a single, stole second and scored on a RBI single by Cimino. Two batters later, Cribbins singled. After Merryman walked, Eschbaugh followed with a two-run single.

Marietta added five more runs in the seventh frame. Jones began the inning with a walk. Junior Dom Winters (Washington, Pa.) followed with a pinch-hit single and Merryman with a walk to load the bases. After Jones was forced out at home on a ball hit by Eschbaugh, Belanger delivered a two-run double. Piconke came up to the plate after a ground out and hit a single to score two more. Senior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) drove in the final run with a two-out double.

Knowlton allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked three. Freshman Nate Eschbaugh (Marietta) worked the final four innings to earn the save. Eschbaugh, who did not allow a hit until there were two outs in the ninth, gave up a pair of singles, while striking out two and walking one.

Scott Rogers (1-4) suffered the loss in relief after allowing five runs on five hits in four innings. Travis Sartain started the game and surrender five runs on three hits in just two innings. Brandon Williams was also tagged for three runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning, before Eric Ruff got the final four outs for the Pirates.

Piconke finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and RBI. Belanger went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. Eschbaugh (Ryan) was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.

The Hardin-Simmons Cowboys (11-7) swapped places with Southwestern in the night cap and broke open a game that had gone back-and-forth early with six runs in the middle innings en route to a 10-4 victory. It was Marietta's first loss to a NCAA Division III team, having lost to Southwest (N.M.), an NAIA team, on Tuesday.

The Pioneers struck first with a run in the in the opening frame, when Belanger singled and scored on a pair of wild pitches.

The Cowboys tied the game in the bottom of the second, when Pioneer freshman starter Joe Pitrone (Highland Heights/Mayfield) walked the leadoff hitter, who came around to score on a ground out.

Marietta went ahead 3-1 after a two-run third. Litke reached on an error and scored on a single by junior designated hitter Tom Doty (Mentor). Pugliese, who followed Litke's at-bat with a single, scored on a Winters' sacrifice fly to left field.

Hardin-Simmons tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth, when the leadoff hitter homered to left field and another player scored on a wild pitch.

Marietta once again went back on top in the fifth, when Eschbaugh doubled home Doty, who singled earlier in the inning.

From there, however, it was Cowboys. Hardin-Simmons got to freshman reliever Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) for four runs in the fifth. The Cowboys added a run of Pugliese in the sixth and two more off freshman Evan Merten (Canton/Hoover) in the seventh. Junior Derek Cummings (Tuscarawas/Indian Valley) did work a 1-2-3 eighth.

Penwell suffered the loss, falling to 1-1 on the spring. Pitrone's final line was three runs (two earned) on three hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one. Penwell allowed four runs on four hits in 2/3 of an inning. Pugliese gave up one run on one hit, while walking three and fanning one in two innings. Merten allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and walked one in one inning. Cummings struck out two in a scoreless inning of work.

Hardin-Simmons out-hit Marietta 10-7 and had three players with two hits in the win. Marietta's offense was paced by Doty and Winters, who each went 2-for-3.

The Etta Express play a junior varsity game at McMurry (Texas) Thursday before returning to action Friday (March 16) in Fort Worth, Texas, for a doubleheader. Marietta's opponent will be NAIA foe Texas Wesleyan. The action can be heard locally on WMOA-AM 1490 and online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.