Marietta Rallies to Top Otterbein and Earn Mideast Regional Championship

Box Score

Photo Montage

TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Marietta College rallied from a 7-5 deficit with two runs in the eighth and one in the 11th to defeat Otterbein College 8-7 on Saturday, earning a trip to the NCAA Division III Baseball National Championship at Fox Cities, Wis.

After Otterbein scored five times in the fifth inning to take a 7-4 lead, Marietta scored once in the sixth and twice in the eighth to force extra innings.  The eighth inning rally featured a single by Tom Doty and a hit by pitch to Josh Beebe, before Justin Merryman doubled down the right field line to score both runners and tie the score.

Following a scoreless ninth and 10th, Marietta scored the game winning run in the 11th.  Tony Piconke and Jarrod Klausman each singled to left center field and Justin Steranka drew a walk to load the bases with one out.  Pinch hitter Dominic Winters drove in Piconke on a fielder's choice ground out to third to give the Pioneers an 8-7 lead.

Otterbein rallied in the 11th in attempt to extend the game.  With two outs, Ben Titus and Chris Kovanda slapped back-to-back singles, but Mike DeMark forced Jerry Tulga to pop out to third base to secure the regional title.

DeMark improved to 8-1 on the season by pitching three scoreless innings on his birthday.  Trevor Horn battled for three innings and allowed just one run in the loss.

Offensively, Klausman and Doty paced Marietta with four hits each.  Doty smashed two doubles, while Klausman scored one run.  Joe Litke added a double, a single and one run scored.

The Otterbein offense featured Tulga with three hits, including a pair of doubles and two RBIs.  Titus added three hits and two runs scored, while Mike Griffin had two hits and one run.

For Otterbein (34-16), the extra inning loss marked a narrow end to a lengthy journey through the elimination bracket.  Otterbein eliminated King's, Wooster, Adrian and Manchester, before forcing a second title game against the Pioneers.

Marietta (39-11) advances to its 19th NCAA Division III Baseball National Championship and its first since earning back-to-back national runner-up finishes in 2001 and 2002.  The Pioneers have also earned three national championships in their illustrious history.

NCAA DIVISION III MIDEAST REGIONAL
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:

DH – Tom Doty, Marietta (Most Valuable Player)
P – Mike Eisenberg, Marietta
P – J.J. Mathews, Otterbein
P – Dan Remenowsky, Otterbein
P – Mitch Waters, Manchester
P/1B – Bobby Wright, Otterbein
1B – Zac Bireley, Manchester
3B – Isaiah Beckman, Adrian
3B – Justin Steranka, Marietta
LF – Jarrod Klausman, Marietta
RF – Jerry Tulga, Otterbein

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