National Champion Etta Express takes two from Mount Union on 9th Annual Community Day
Late-inning rally in nightcap sets the stage for post game fireworks

Apr. 17, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — The nearly 1,000 fans in attendance for Marietta College's 9th Annual Community Baseball Day at Don Schaly Stadium knew that they would be treated to some fireworks Tuesday (Apr. 17) night, but little did they realize that it would start in the bottom of the seventh inning. That was the case, however, as the No. 30 Etta Express completed a 7-1 and 3-2 sweep of visiting Mount Union with a two-run rally in its final at-bat of the nightcap.

Following the two wins, the Marietta College Sports Promotion Class, which put on the event, had a 10-minute fireworks show. Sponsored by the Marietta College Student Senate, it was the first time that fireworks accompanied the annual event.

The victories improved Marietta's record to 19-7 overall and 7-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Mount Union fell to 8-15, 2-6 in league play.

Former Pioneer Tommy Kerr had the Pioneers in a funk for most of the second game. Marietta did manage to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, when sophomore Don Pugliese (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) was hit by a pitch and scored on a freshman Chris Beatty (Seven Field, Pa./Hampton) double to left center field.

Sophomore Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) got the start, his first action since April 2nd, and worked a scoreless inning. Freshman Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) relieved Baumler in the second and worked the next 4 1/3 innings.

Mount Union finally got to Penwell in the sixth. He allowed a one-out walk and then a single before being replaced by senior Derek Cummings (Tuscarawas/Indian Valley), who gave up a two-run single through the right side to Grant Sevek with two outs to give the Purple Raiders a 2-1 lead.

Senior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.) began the Pioneers' last at-bat against Kerr with a single up the middle. Sophomore Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark), who pinch ran for Litke, then moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Danny Jones (Lima/Shawnee). Senior Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta) followed by reaching on an error to put runners on first and third with one out. Eschbaugh took off from first with sophomore pinch hitter Cameron Cimino (Boardman) at the plate. Kerr tried to pick him off but balked in the process, allowing Cribbins to cross the plate with the tying run. Kerr then walked Cimino and gave up an infield single to freshman Jeremy Reese (Massillon/Washington) to load the bases. Mount Union brought the infield and outfield in with senior Ryan Belanger (Coldwater, Mich.) at the plate. Belanger delivered the game-winning hit with a single over the center fielder's head to drive in Eschbaugh with the winning run.

Pugliese (1-1) earned the win after getting the final out in the top of the seventh. Penwell allowed two runs on four hits in his time on the mound, while Cummings scattered three hits and fanned one in 1 1/3 innings.

Kerr (1-1) took the loss after giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out one.

Six different Pioneers had hits in the win; Eschbaugh and Beatty both had doubles. Josh Faltot and Cory Slaybaugh both went 2-for-4 in the loss for Mount Union.

Sophomore Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia) picked up his second straight complete game victory in the opener. It was the fourth consecutive game that a Marietta pitcher threw a complete game after the team did not have one in the first 20 games. Merryman scattered one run on four hits and struck out seven to improve to 4-2 on the spring.

The Pioneers' offense, who finished with nine hits, got consistent scoring throughout the first game.

Cimino doubled home Piconke, who was hit by a pitch and stole second with one out in the first. Jones doubled and scored a run on a Belanger single in the second frame.

Mount Union cracked the scoreboard with a run in the third, when Faltot doubled home Kyle Green, who opened the inning with a single.

In the bottom of the third, Cimino singled and scored on a Reese ground out. A Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp., Mich./Clintondale) sacrifice fly drove in Eschbaugh in the fourth to make the score 4-1.

Marietta broke the game open in the fifth. Pugliese, who was hit by a pitch, scored on a double steal. Eschbaugh doubled home Reese, who singled and was on the other end of the double steal. Eschbaugh later scored when Jones reached on a fielding error to increase the Pioneers' lead to 7-1.

Cimino and Jones both went 2-for-3 in the win, while Green had two hits in the loss.

Marietta is back in action Wednesday (Apr. 18) when it travels to Bethany (W.Va.) for a single, nine-inning game at 4 p.m. The game will be carried live by WMOA-AM 1490. The action can also be heard over the Internet at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.