No. 18 Etta Express falls to rival Otterbein, 7-3, in opener of OAC Tournament
Marietta will play Heidelberg in an elimination game Friday at 12:30 p.m.

May 10, 2007
TIFFIN, Ohio — The No. 18 Marietta College baseball team opened up Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament play Thursday (May 10) afternoon against rival Otterbein College. The National Champion Pioneers, who are the second seed in the four team tournament, which is being hosted by Heidelberg College, fell 7-3 to third-seeded Cardinals.

The loss drops the Etta Express to 28-13 on the year and into the loser’s bracket. On Friday (May 11) at 12:30 p.m. Marietta will play top-seeded Heidelberg, who fell to fourth-seeded Capital 8-7 in the second opening round game. Otterbein improved to 28-10 and advanced to the 9:30 a.m. winner’s bracket game on Friday.

The Cardinals out-hit the Pioneers 13-6 in the game. Marietta had two errors, while Otterbein made one.

Otterbein jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the top of the first, as it collected five hits off Marietta freshman starter Nate Eschbaugh (Marietta).

Junior Tony Piconke (Clinton Twp., Mich./Clintondale) helped the Etta Express get on the board with a solo home run off Dan Remenowsky in the bottom of the seventh. The home run was Piconke’s eighth of the year and made the score 4-1 in favor of Otterbein.

The Cardinals added three runs and knocked Eschbaugh out of the game in the eighth. Eschbaugh, who fell to 4-2, allowed seven runs on 13 hits and walked two in 7 2/3 innings. Freshman Tyler Penwell (Washington Court House) worked the final 1 1/3 innings without allowing a hit.

Remenowsky, who improved to 8-0, allowed a lead off double by senior Ryan Eschbaugh (Marietta) and a RBI triple by sophomore Cameron Cimino (Boardman) before leaving the game in the ninth. Remenowsky scattered three runs on six hits and struck out five. Trevor Horn allowed a sacrifice fly by senior Joe Litke (Windsor, Conn.), Cimino scored on the play, before retiring the next two hitters to seal the 7-3 victory.

Cimino, who finished 2-for-4, led Marietta’s offense. Bobby Wright had three hits in five at-bats for Otterbein, while four of his teammates added a pair of hits in the win.

If the Pioneers win their 12:30 p.m. game with Heidelberg, they will take on the loser of the Otterbein and Capital game at 4 p.m. Friday's action will be carried live by WMOA-AM 1490. It can also be heard online at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.html.