Feb. 25, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — The Etta Express, under the direction of fifth-year Head Coach Brian Brewer, returns nine of 15 lettermen from last year's squad, which finished 32-17 and claimed a share of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) regular season title, as well as its record 20th Mideast Regional crown and a record 20th trip to the NCAA Division III World Series. The Pioneers, who won national championships in 1981, 1983, 1986 and 2006, will once again have their work cut out for them early in the season, as they look to replace many key losses and battle another tough schedule.

The strength of Marietta's team this season should be its pitching staff. The staff will feature a trio of All-OAC performers in juniors T.J. Knowlton and Justin Merryman and sophomore Nate Eschbaugh. Merryman went 9-3 with 68 strikeouts and a 3.73 earned run average (ERA) in 89 1/3 innings pitched. Knowlton finished 8-2 with 44 strikeouts and a 4.00 ERA in 81 innings of work. Eschbaugh ended the year 5-3 with 30 strikeouts and a 3.65 ERA in 56 2/3 innings.

Senior All-Region and All-OAC standout Tony Piconke will lead the Pioneers' offense in 2008. The outfielder paced the team in batting average (.365), at-bats (178), runs scored (45), hits (65), doubles (16), home runs (9), runs batted in (RBI) (34) and stolen bases (13). Senior corner infielder Dom Winters hopes to follow up a strong season in which he started 32 games at third base and hit .271 (29-for-107) with 11 extra-base hits.

Junior third baseman Cameron Cimino, who split time as Marietta's designated hitter (DH) last year, batted .298 (31-for-104) with 31 runs scored and 23 RBI. Classmate Brennan Cribbins started five of the Pioneers' seven postseason games at second base and hit .333 (7-for-21) during Marietta's playoff run. Merryman, when not pitching, held down a corner outfield position and batted .239 (16-for-67). All three are primed for good junior campaigns.

Sophomores catcher Danny Jones, first baseman Mark Lakas and infielder Tyler Penwell should also be factors in the offense in 2008. Jones won the catching duties early in the year and, despite hitting .263 (31-for-118) overall, he batted .381 (8-for-21) in the postseason. Lakas and Penwell both gained valuable experience as freshmen and will be asked to step into larger roles this spring.

Marietta will open its season against host Piedmont in Demorest, Georgia, on March 1. The Pioneers will also be traveling to Texas again for Spring Break (March 10-14) with a stop in Memphis, Tennessee, to take on Rhodes (March 9). Marietta's home opener at Don Schaly Stadium is scheduled against Heidelberg on March 22. A single, nine-inning game with Wooster is slated for March 26, while a doubleheader showdown with Otterbein will take place at home on April 19.

Marietta's team goals remain the same for 2008 as they have been since 1964: win the Ohio Athletic Conference, the Mideast Regional and the NCAA Division III World Series.

Here is how the 2008 Pioneers look position-by-position:

Pitchers: You are only as good as the guys on the bump. While the pitching staff could still be considered a young group, it does not lack experience. Juniors T.J. Knowlton and Justin Merryman are the leading candidates for the two starting slots in the Conference doubleheaders. Both have traveled to the NCAA Division III World Series twice and own National Championship rings to prove it. Sophomore Nate Eschbaugh had a very productive freshman campaign on the mound for the Pioneers last spring; he had a huge win in the NCAA Mideast Regional and appeared in both World Series games. Throw in junior Jason Baumler, last year's projected number one pitcher, and Joe Pitrone, last year's most projectable freshman arm, and, if all goes well, this staff could prove to be very formidable. Also, keep an eye out for junior transfer Chris Stewart (Rio Grande), who has pitched and won some big games at his previous institution.

Catcher: Sophomore Dan Jones returns behind the dish for Marietta this spring and looks to build off a very good freshman campaign. Jones should prove to be one of the best defensive catchers in the league. He will be expected to put up better numbers offensively this spring and the coaches have the utmost confidence that he will. Fellow sophomore Chris Beatty also returns this spring and projects as a more than adequate back-up catcher. Beatty brings a middle-of-the-order presence to the lineup that is expected to have a breakout year at the catching position or potentially in the DH spot. The Pioneers will look to a couple other upperclassmen to supply them with additional depth at the position.

First Base: Sophomores Mark Lakas and Nick Springer are set to do battle for the starting slot. Lakas has made a commitment to his strength and physical conditioning levels, while Springer has made a commitment to improving his defensive abilities and overall flexibility. These two could quite possibly push each other throughout the spring and progress to a point where they are each splitting time between first base and the DH positions. Do not count out Justin Merryman; he is already the team's best defensive first baseman and will need to rest his arm occasionally coming off lengthy pitching performances.

Middle Infield: Going into the year, this is Marietta's biggest question mark. Sophomore Tyler Penwell (SS) and junior Brennan Cribbins (2B) are the leading candidates for these two very important positions. Penwell was a big part of Marietta's success last year as a relief pitcher, while Cribbins admirably filled in late in the year at second base. Junior Josh Spicer, along with a few freshmen, will provide depth across the infield.

Third Base: Senior Dom Winters is the leading candidate at the "hot corner." Winters has had some huge hits over the course of his career and looks to bring consistency into the fold this spring. Junior Cameron Cimino will be vying for a spot in the everyday lineup this spring and outside of DH, this may be his best shot. Do not forget about Josh Spicer either. Spicer would have to be considered Marietta's best defensive third baseman.

Outfield: Senior Tony Piconke, a four-year starter, will be looked to for great leadership, not only in the outfield but also from the entire club. Piconke is a legitimate Conference Player of the Year candidate and should have a fantastic senior season. Justin Merryman and sophomore Ryan Frost are the only other returning outfielders and both are considered front runners for the corner outfield slots. Marietta has a few promising freshmen that will push these upperclassmen throughout the spring season.

Outlook: While still relatively young, this is an experienced group and one that will be expected to uphold the great tradition of Marietta College Baseball. If a few arms "get right" and a couple of the young guys step up and contribute, it could be another very special year for the Etta Express.