No. 30 Marietta baseball splits with visiting Capital
Merryman throws a complete game in nightcap to help Etta Express salvage a split

Apr. 12, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — Sophomore Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) threw the first complete game of the season for the No. 30 Marietta College baseball team, helping the Etta Express win the nightcap of a doubleheader match-up with visiting Capital University Thursday (Apr. 12) evening at Don Schaly Stadium. The Crusaders took game one 7-4, while the Pioneers won game two, 4-3.

The split was the third straight in Ohio Athletic Conference play for Marietta, who is now 15-7 overall and 3-3 in the OAC. Capital moved to 9-12 and 3-3 in league play.

Merryman was given the ball in game two with the task of shutting down a Capital offense that collected 10 hits and scored three runs in the top of the seventh to win the opener.

The Crusaders took a 1-0 lead in the nightcap with a sacrifice fly in the first inning.

Marietta took the lead with a four-run second. Freshman Danny Jones (Lima/Shawnee) led off with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Junior Dom Winters (Washington, Pa.) followed by reaching first base on a wild pitch after he struck out. Jones advanced to third on the play. Senior Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Two batters later, sophomore Cameron Cimino (Boardman) delivered a two-run single through the right side. After a strikeout, senior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) kept the inning alive by reaching on an error—Eschbaugh scored on the play—and then junior Tom Doty (Mentor) singled through the left side to knock in Cimino with the fourth run of the game.

Capital made it 4-2 in the fifth, when a leadoff double came around to score on a fielding error. The Crusaders added a run in the top of the seventh, but Merryman got out of the jam with a strikeout to secure the 4-3 victory.

Merryman scattered three runs (two earned) on eight hits to improve to 3-2 on the spring. The left-hander struck out six and walked three. Nick DeWitt (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and fanned seven, while Jon Wing came in to get the final out of the sixth.

Doty finished 2-for-3 to lead the Pioneers, who collected five hits and had two errors in the game. Mike St. John and Tom Stevison each went 2-for-4 for the Crusaders, who finished with eight hits and committed one error.

Capital also took a first-inning lead in the opener, as it scored a pair of runs on three hits off Marietta sophomore starter T.J. Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton).

The Etta Express tied the game at 2-2 in the second. Litke began the frame with a walk. Freshman Chris Beatty (Seven Fields, Pa./Hampton) then reached on a fielder's choice; Litke was safe at second on an error and both runners advanced another base on the play. Sophomore Don Pugliese (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) followed with a RBI single up the middle to score Litke. Beatty crossed the plate when the ball got away from the first basemen during a failed pick off attempt at first base.

Capital regained the lead, 3-2, with a two-out double in the third. Marietta evened the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the frame, when senior Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta) led off with a double to left and scored on a fielding error.

The Pioneers took a brief lead, 4-3, in the fifth thanks to a two-out home run by senior Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, Mich.). The home run was his first of the spring.

The Crusaders answered with a run in the sixth off Pioneer reliever Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House). It was a wild pitch that allowed the run to score tie the game at 4-4.

Capital took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the seventh. The first run scored on a sacrifice fly, while a single to right center by Graham Holmberg drove in the final two. Marietta was able to put together back-to-back two-out singles in its last at-bat, but the game ended with a line out to right field.

Knowlton worked five innings and did not register a decision. The right-hander allowed three runs on six hits, walked two and struck out one. Penwell (1-2) took the loss, giving up four runs on four hits while walking two and fanning one in two innings. Chris Trainer earned the win in relief after scattering four hits in 2 1/3 innings. Nick Brown started the game for Capital and gave up four runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out five and walking one in the first 4 2/3 innings.

Belanger (2-for-4), Pugliese (2-for-3) and Eschbaugh (2-for-3) combined for six of Marietta's eight hits. Capital's two, three and four hitters finished a combined 7-for-10. Jacob Butler was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Jimmy Haas and Ryan Hutchison were each 2-for-3 in the win.

The Etta Express returns to action Saturday (Apr. 14) when it visits Ohio Athletic Conference rival Ohio Northern for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Marietta will remain on the road Sunday (Apr. 15) for a single, nine-inning game at No. 1 Wooster. First pitch with the Fighting Scots is slated for 3 p.m. All of the games will be carried live by WMOA-AM 1490. The action can also be heard over the Internet at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.