Marietta Victorious in Game 1

In Game 1 of the Ohio Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament, the Marietta College Pioneers defeated the Otterbein College Cardinals 5-2. Marietta improves to 22-18 on the year and moves onto Game 3 of the tournament which will be played at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 9, against the winner of Game 2 (Heidelberg vs. Mount Union). Otterbein falls to 25-14 and plays again in the double-elimination tournament tomorrow as well at 12:30 p.m. against the loser of Game 2.
 
Marietta plated two runs in the second inning to light up the scoreboard first. Justin Merryman (New Philadelphia, Ohio / New Philadelphia) doubled down the right field line to pick up two RBIs. The Pioneers would retain the lead for the rest of the contest despite Otterbein’s best efforts.
 
Offensively for the game, Merryman went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs, one run, and a walk. Britt Meador (Columbus, Ohio / Worthington Kilbourne) contributed three hits and two runs as well for Marietta. For Otterbein, Charlie Edwards (Springfield, Ohio / South) went 2-for-3 with one RBI and drew the lone walk of the game for the Cardinals, while clean-up hitter Dan Lassak (Sunbury, Ohio / Big Walnut) posted two hits and one run for the team.
 
On the mound, T. J. Knowlton (Greenwich, Ohio / Mapleton) picked up the win for the Pioneers. He tossed 7.1, gave up eight hits, no earned runs, struck out four, and allowed only one walk. Chris Stewart (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman) came in as relief and earned the save for Marietta.  Dan Remenowsky (Cincinnati, Ohio / Moeller) recorded the loss on the rubber for Otterbein. He threw the whole game, gave up 13 hits, five earned runs, walked six, and struck out seven.
 
Defensively, Dominick Winters (Washington, Pa. / Washington) led the Pioneers with 10 putouts, while Brennan Cribbins (Middleburg Heights, Ohio / Midpark) dished out four assists. For the Cardinals, Brian Hiscox (Burton, Ohio / Berskhire) and Aaron Hutchinson (Whitehall, Ohio / Whitehall) each posted eight putouts and Ben Titus (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green) tossed four assists.