Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Logan LaMere
Noah Tylutki
Logan LaMere slides into home after scoring on a wild pitch in the seventh.
10
Winner John Carroll JCU 27-13
8
Marietta MAR 32-10
Winner
John Carroll JCU
27-13
10
Final
8
Marietta MAR
32-10
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
John Carroll JCU 2 0 0 5 0 0 3 0 0 10 9 2
Marietta MAR 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 8 9 3

W: Darrow, Henry (3-3) L: K. Hill (9-3) S: Simon, Roger (3)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Danny Gibel, Staff Writer

Baseball Slides Into OAC Championship By Derailing the Etta Express

BEREA, Ohio -- If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. 

And that's just what the John Carroll baseball has done over the past two days. As the #4 seed in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament, the Blue Streaks shutout the #1 seed and #7 ranked team in the country Baldwin Wallace on Thursday, and now beat the #2 seed Marietta Pioneers, 10-8, en route to a berth in the OAC Championship.

The feat marks only the third time that the Blue Streaks have advanced to the OAC Championship series, having also done so in 1998 and 2014. 

After Joe Olsavsky and Connor Mayle were retired to start the inning, the Blue Streaks rallied to score two runs. Justin Hanley and Sean Connolly hit back-to-back singles to bring up Jack Harmon, whole drove in both runners on a two-RBI single to give the Blue Streaks an early 2-0 lead. 

The Pioneers responded in a big way in their first at-bats in the first inning. The Etta Express tallied four runs on four hits to take a 4-2 lead. 

Cole Rieman tied the game on a two-RBI double, while Ben Kaplin and Cole Yeager each had RBI singles in the frame.

After the Pioneers' Nick Bonnizzio was plunked by JCU starter Jamon Higley to begin the second, Henry Darrow entered in relief and proceeded to pitch the next 5.1 innings.

Marietta did tack on another run in the third after an Olsavsky throwing error to make it 5-2, but the lead was short-lived. 

The Blue Streaks then erupted for five runs on four hits in the fourth to take a 7-5 advantage.

The big hits in the inning came off the bats of Erik Daugenti and Michael Persichetti with two outs.

Daugenti ripped a two-run double to left center that brought Bryce Holt and Logan LaMere in to score to make it, 5-4. Persichetti followed up with a single through the left side of the infield that allowed Daugenti to score and tie the game. 

Then, a crucial throwing error by the Pioneers allowed Persichetti and Olsavsky, who reached on a double down the left-field line, to come around and score for the frame's final runs. 

Following the big inning for the Blue Streaks, the bats again fell silent. The Blue Streaks were not able to add much-needed insurance runs until the seventh inning. 

The scoring opportunities in the seventh were sparked by a leadoff hit-by-pitch by Bryce Holt, who broke the program record for walks in a season earlier in the game.

The only hit of the inning for the Blue Streaks was a bunt by LaMere, the second man to bat in the frame. The next batter Daugenti would advance to first on an error which allowed Holt to score and made it 8-5.

After Persichetti walked, LaMere scored on a wild pitch during Olsavsky's plate appearance, who then proceeded to hit a sacrifice fly to score Daugenti and push the Blue Streak lead to 10-5.

Marietta responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the seventh. Darrow faced trouble in the inning with bases loaded and one out, and after he walked in a run, was relieved by Roger Simon. Simon would then walk in another run to the next batter to make it 10-7, but limited the damage by forcing a pop out and striking out Ben Kaplin to end the threat.

There was no drama in the late innings until a brief Marietta rally flared up in the bottom of the ninth. A leadoff hit by pitch surrendered by Simon gave the Pioneers some life in their last at bats. 

A groundout and flyout to center moved Alex Richter over to third, where he came home on a single up the middle by Rieman. 

The comeback bid was short lived as Simon slammed the door with a game-ending strikeout, sending the Blue Streaks into the OAC Championship series. 

JCU tallied nine hits as a team, as each batter in the lineup recorded one. Four recorded at least one RBI as well. 

Darrow earned the win giving up only four hits and two walks while striking out three batters. Simon pitched the final 2.2 innings and gave up only one run and a walk while also recording three punch outs.

The first pitch of the OAC Championship game is scheduled for Saturday, May 13 at noon. The Blue Streaks could potentially play again at 3 pm if they lose the noon game. 

UPDATE: John Carroll will now play Marietta once again, as the Pioneers defeated Ohio Northern, 7-1, late Friday afternoon.
Print Friendly Version

Sponsors