(MARIETTA, Ohio) – Wilson gave perennial power Marietta all it could handle in a twin bill, but was ultimately swept on Saturday afternoon. A low-scoring defensive affair saw the Phoenix edged out by a run in the opener before the hits followed in the nightcap with the Pioneers also taking advantage of errors in the victory.
The Basics
Scores: Game 1 – Wilson 2, Marietta 3
Game 2 – Wilson 4, Marietta 8
Venue: Pioneer Park
Records: Wilson 1-4, Marietta 3-2
How It Happened (Game 1)
- The Phoenix struck first in the opening inning as Jordan Daphney (Sr., Countryside, Fla. / Countryside) continued his hot start with a single to right. After a wild pitch moved him up 90 feet, Tyler Smith (So., Crofton, Md. / Archbishop Spalding) brought him the rest of the way with a single up the middle. Marietta eventually tied the game after Jeremy Tonelli scored on a ground out in the bottom of the third.
- Both teams scored one run each in the sixth. Smith led off the frame with a single to left and moved to second on a ground out. After a throwing error on a fielder's choice kept him alive, he scored on a stolen base attempt by Dean Mercer (Sr., Dunedin, Fla. / Clearwater Catholic Central). The Pioneers answered with a two out rally by loading the bases before Thomas Babineau was hit by a pitch. The Phoenix forced Tonelli to ground out one batter later to keep it a tie game.
- Will Loftus provided the go-ahead run for the Pioneers one inning later on a single up the middle by Diego DiCello. Wilson had a chance to tie in the eighth, but left a runner stranded on third.
How It Happened (Game 2)
- Wilson once again was the first to light up the scoreboard and did so as Mercer singled to right center to bring in Harry Middlebrooks (So., Bel Air, Md. / Archbishop Curley) who doubled to center one at-bat prior. The Pioneers answered in a big way with six unanswered runs over the next three innings.
- The Phoenix didn't give up and rallied to score runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Daphney made it 6-2 after he doubled down the left field line, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch. He brought in Wilson's next run with a single to right to score Seth Bivens (Jr., Hancock, Md. / Hancock / Hagerstown C.C.) who hit an infield single as the second batter of the inning.
- After Marietta scored with the assistance of a pair of errors in the bottom of the seventh, Bivens once again cut the deficit to three with a single to right to bring in Middlebrooks in the top of the eighth. That was as close as the Phoenix could get the rest of the way, however, as the Pioneers added an insurance run in the bottom half to set up the final score.
Inside The Numbers
- Smith had an excellent opening where he went 4-for-4 with a run and an RBI and went 5-for-9 on the day.
- Ryan Torres (Sr., Baltimore, Md. / Archbishop Curley), Daphney, Middlebrooks, Mercer, and Bivens all had multiple hit games for the Phoenix in the nightcap.
- Dallas Gilbert (Jr., Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg / Penn State Harrisburg) was strong in the opening game as he allowed just two earned runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts in seven innings of work. He took the loss to fall to 1-1 on the year.
Up Next
The Phoenix will make the short trek west on Route 33 to battle Gettysburg in a single nine-inning game on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
