Etta Express ranked #15 in NCAA D-III Preseason Poll
Marietta College begins pursuit of record fifth national title on Feb. 28

Jan. 5, 2009
MARIETTA, Ohio — The release of the Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division III Preseason Poll is the first sign that the 2009 Marietta College baseball season will soon be getting underway. With 10 returning lettermen and a talented group of newcomers, sixth-year Head Coach Brian Brewer’s Pioneers expect to assert themselves as a conference, regional and national contender once again in 2009. Collegiate Baseball echoed that sentiment by voting Marietta #15 in the 30-team poll, which was release on Dec. 23.

The Etta Express will begin practice in mid January and open the season in less than two months when it takes on #27 Piedmont College from Demorest, Ga., on Feb. 28. The match-up is part of a three-game trip to Rocky Mount, N.C., where Marietta will also play host North Carolina Wesleyan on Feb. 28 and then Montclair State (N.J.) University, who also received votes in the poll, on March 1.

Marietta will be looking to replace two key graduated seniors—All-Region outfielder Tony Piconke and All-Ohio Athletic Conference first baseman Dom Winters—from the 2008 team that finished runner-up in both the OAC regular season and the OAC Tournament.

Seven seniors, including All-Mideast Region pitcher T.J. Knowlton (Greenwich/Mapleton) and All-Mideast Region third baseman Cameron Cimino (Boardman), will anchor Marietta’s lineup this spring. All-OAC pitcher Jason Baumler (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill), second baseman/third baseman Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights/Midpark), All-OAC utility player Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia), All-OAC pitcher Chris Stewart (Dublin/Coffman) and second baseman/third baseman Josh Spicer (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) will also be asked to provide the senior leadership that is a staple of the Marietta baseball program.

Cortland State (N.Y.) sat atop the 2009 preseason poll. Rounding out the top 10 were #2 Chapman (Calif.); #3 Adrian (Mich.); #4 Kean (N.J.); #5 Southern Maine; #6 Trinity (Conn.), the 2008 National Champions; #7 Johns Hopkins (Md.); #8 Wooster; #9 Wis.-Whitewater and #10 Eastern Connecticut State.

Marietta has games slated against eight of the 50 teams mentioned in the poll, including four who received a ranking. In addition to opening against #27 Piedmont and Montclair State, the Pioneers will battle #13 Texas-Tyler on March 9 as well as both Abilene Christian (Texas), who was ranked #11 in the Collegiate Baseball D-II Pre-Season Poll, and McMurry (Texas) on March 10 while on spring break in Abilene, Texas. Marietta opens OAC play at #12 Heidelberg on March 21. The Etta Express will then host Denison on March 25 and Franklin (Ind.) on March 31 before visiting #8 Wooster on April 1. Marietta also plays at Denison on April 22. Denison, Franklin and McMurry all received votes in the poll.