SPRINGFIELD, OH - The Tigers faced off against Marietta College at Carleton Davidson Stadium, aiming to build on their victory over Wilmington the previous evening. They achieved just that, delivering another strong offensive showing in the early innings, coupled with solid fielding, to secure a 7-3 win. The victory brought the Tigers' record to 13-5 on the season, while the Pioneers, who had been receiving votes in the national polls early in the season, fell to 9-9.

The starting pitcher for the Tigers was junior Mikey Eickhoff (Akron, OH / St. Vincent-St. Mary). He allowed three runs and two walks before handing things off to Kyle Mahon (Dayton, OH/Centerville) in the fifth inning. Mahon earned the win by keeping the Pioneers scoreless, striking out four batters in three dominant innings of work. After Mahon, Wittenberg turned to two more pitchers, each working no more than one inning. Together, they silenced the Pioneers over the final two frames, with Charlie Schafer (Beavercreek, OH / Beavercreek) working the ninth to close things out again.

The Tigers came out swinging at the plate, quickly taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Luke Thomas (Tallmadge, OH / Tallmadge) crossed the plate on a single to center by Tommy Chilicki (Lewis Center, OH / Olentangy), and Thatcher Dietz (Westerville, OH / Westerville South) also scored on a single in the same inning. In the bottom of the second, Ben Seibert (Cincinnati, OH / LaSalle) went home on an error, while James MacAuley (Grosse Pointe Woods, MI / Grosse Pointe North) scored on a groundout to second base.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Tigers' strong offense was on display when Parker Gryskevich (Brownsburg, IN / Brownsburg) belted a home run and Alex Nemunaitis (Perrysburg, OH / Ottawa Hills) scored on a single to center field. Xander Rodriguez (Salinas, PR / Franklin County) scored on a single through the left side in the fourth inning, marking the final run of the night, making the score 7-3.

Team Leaders

• Thomas, Chilicki, and Gryskevich led the team in hits, finishing the game with two each.
• Chilicki and Gryskevich also led in RBI, having two each on the game.
• Gryskevich also recorded a home run during the game.
• Three Tigers recorded steals, with Seibert stealing home. 

Team Comparison

• The Tigers had 11 hits to the Pioneers' four.
• Each team scored a run via a home run.
• The Tigers turned four double plays in the game.

The Tigers will be back in action Saturday, March 29th, as they take on North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival DePauw on the road in a doubleheader, with the first pitch starting at 12:00 p.m.

Written By: Grace Tyler '28