OWU Online | Sports Releases

Marietta 9, Ohio Wesleyan 5 (5/16/2002)

Dusty Childress rifled a triple down the rightfield line to break a 5-5 tie and put Marietta ahead to stay in Game 1 of the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional on Thursday in Marietta.

Ohio Wesleyan will face Wooster in an elimination game on Friday at Marietta.

Mike McLuckey staked the Pioneers to a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the first and Derek Pauley made it 2-0 in the second when he led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice, took third on Nate Brown's single to left center and scored when junior outfielder Travis Falk (Bryan) misplayed the ball.

The Bishops closed to within 2-1 in the third when junior outfielder Joe Loudenslager (Hilliard/Darby) singled with 2 outs, senior first baseman Drew Caravella (Columbus/Hilliard Davidson) was hit by a pitch and junior designated hitter Bo Burnett (Powell/Olentangy) singled to center, scoring Loudenslager.

Marietta answered with Kevin May's 2-run homer in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead.

Senior outfielder Shaun Rice (Dublin/Columbus Watterson) led off the top of the fifth with a double to leftcenter. Loudenslager followed with a single to left, with Rice taking third, and Caravella lined a single to right center that scored Rice. Burnett then bunted, forcing Loudenslager at third, before junior third baseman Mark Wherry (Dublin/Scioto) singled up the middle to score Caravella. Junior catcher Mike Schultheis (Columbus/Watterson) singled to load the bases and, one out later, junior shortstop Joe Deck (Waverly) walked to force in the tying run.

Marietta took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth when, with 2 out, sophomore righthander Tyler Mott (Grove City) hit a pair of Pioneer batters and then mishandled Pauley's comebacker to load the bases before hitting Childress with a pitch to force in a run.

Ohio Wesleyan came back in the sixth, loading the bases with nobody out when Rice reached on an error by Pioneer shortstop Brown, Loudenslager was hit by a pitch and Caravella singled to right center. Justin Papania came on in relief of Scott Stocker for Marietta, and he retired Burnett on a called third strike and got Wherry to bounce into a fielder's choice that forced Rice at home.

Schultheis followed with a single to left, driving in Loudenslager with the tying run, but sophomore second baseman Mike Albert (Shelby) bounced out to third to end the inning.

Marietta took the lead in the seventh when Pauley led off with a single and scored on Childress' triple down the rightfield line. Childress later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris Sidick. The Pioneers added 2 runs in the eighth, with May adding an RBI single.

Schultheis went 4-for-5 for Ohio Wesleyan, while Loudenslager finished with 3 hits and Rice, Caravella and Burnett had 2 hits apiece. Ohio Wesleyan outhit the Pioneers, 16-12, but the Bishops stranded 15 baserunners in the game.

Sophomore lefthander Michael Myers (Columbus/Dublin Scioto) was charged with the loss in relief, his first loss in 6 decisions this season.

Papania was credited with the win with 4.0 innings of scoreless relief.