Jimmy Embrescia
jje001@rm003marietta-edu
The Marietta College Pioneers baseball program is a storied one. The program has won six national championships, 1981, 1983, 1986, 2006, 2011 and the most recent being 2012. The 2019 campaign got off to a slow start.
The Pioneers played their first games of the season in Newport News, Virginia. The Pioneers stepped up to the plate against two nationally ranked opponents. The first game resulted in a 3-8 loss to number four ranked Randolph-Macon College. Later that day the Pioneers dropped their second game to number seven ranked Christopher Newport University by a score of 5-11.
The following two games against Denison University and Franklin College were cancelled.
The Pioneers opened up play in the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida by dropping a game to the University of Scranton. The next day, the Pioneers won in a shootout versus Arcadia University, 15-12. A nine-run third inning gave the Pioneers all the momentum they needed to pull out a victory. Later that same day, the Pioneers fell to number five nationally ranked Swarthmore College, 5-11. The trip ended on a three game win streak, including a 5-3 victory over number 24 nationally ranked Kean University.
Following the trip to Florida, the Pioneers dropped four straight games, including three at the Berry Invitational in Mount Berry, Georgia. The fourth loss came on opening day at Don Schaly Stadium. The home opening events included a double header against La Roche College. The first game resulted in a 9-15 defeat. Despite dropping the first game, the Pioneers bounced back later in the day and defeated La Roche 7-4 to salvage the home opener.
The Pioneers then opened OAC play by splitting a double header in Berea, Ohio with the Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets. The Yellow Jackets rolled through the first game, 11-2. Later in the day the Pioneers bounced back, grinding out a 3-2 win.
A few days later, on March 27, Marietta traveled to the College of Wooster for a matchup with the number eight nationally ranked Fighting Scots. The lead bounced back and forth between the teams all day, ultimately Wooster came out on top, 7-8.
Marietta has most recently split a double header with OAC opponent, Heidelberg University. The Pioneers secured the first game, 3-1. The Student Princes came back swinging, defeating the Pioneers in the second game, 7-4.
Fans can follow Marietta College baseball by visiting this site https://pioneers.marietta.edu/index.aspx?path=baseball
