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Jeff Jenkins |
TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Otterbein College forced a second NCAA Division III Mideast Baseball Regional championship game with a 4-1 victory over Marietta College on Saturday afternoon. Bobby Wright tossed a complete-game seven-hitter with no walks and two strikeouts to earn the victory in a pitcher's duel with Marietta starter Mike Eisenberg. The Marietta right-hander held Otterbein without a run for seven innings and scattered just five hits in eight innings. The two teams battled to a scoreless tie through seven innings, before Otterbein tallied one run in the top of the eighth and Marietta answered with one of their own in the bottom of the eighth. In the ninth, Otterbein scored three times to secure the victory. Chris Martin opened the frame with a hit by pitch and Jerry Tulga singled to center field, before Wright walked to load the bases. Pat Connor walked to put the Cardinals ahead 2-1. Tulga scored an insurance run on a wild pitch, before Brandon Mauck grounded out for an RBI to give Otterbein its final margin of victory. Tulga had two singles and one run to lead the Otterbein offense, with Kyle Dyar contributing one run and one hit. For Marietta, Jarrod Klausman had two hits, a double and one RBI, while Joe Litke slapped two singles to lead the Pioneer effort. The two teams return for a second championship game today at 2:30 p.m. Otterbein improved to 34-15, while Marietta dropped to 38-11. |
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