Mike Eisenberg Pitcher Marietta College

Jarrod Klausman First Base Marietta College

Nat Richter Second Base Univ. of Wis. Stevens-Point

Jordan Zimmermann Pitcher Univ. of Wis. Stevens-Point

Back to Main Page

A near-record crowd at Fox Cities Stadium was treated to a tremendous pitchers' duel between two All-Americans in the final game of Friday's first day of action at the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship, as Marietta College (Ohio) scored a 2-1 win over the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

The game provided a close-to-home atmosphere for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, a school just an hour drive from the Appleton area. As a result, the turnstile crowd was tallied at 2,467, the second-largest single-game mark in the seven years that the NCAA Division III championship has been held at Fox Cities Stadium.

And, the two starting pitchers gave the crowd a great effort. Marietta College starter Mike Eisenberg, a first-team All-American, struck out 11 in eight innings of work, allowing just four hits, two walks and one unearned run in the fourth inning.

Meanwhile, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point starter Jordan Zimmerman, a second-team All-American, threw his eighth complete game of the season, also striking out 11 with just one walk and four hits allowed.

With the win, Marietta College's first in championship finals play since 2002, the Pioneers (40-11) advance to face Montclair State University (N.J.) (34-17-2) in a championship-round game on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. Marietta College won NCAA Division III titles in 1981, 1983 and 1986, and is making its 18th appearance in the finals.

"We're real excited about where we are and pleased to have the opportunity to play in the winner's bracket again tomorrow night," said Marietta College head coach Brian Brewer, who improved to 105-32-1 in his three seasons with the Pioneers.

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (34-17) will face Aurora University (Ill.) (34-13) in an elimination game on Saturday at 1:15 p.m.

But given the Pointers' recent history in its second appearance in the finals, facing elimination is nothing new. In its prior playoff appearances this season - in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament and the Wisconsin Rapids Regional - the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point has played nine elimination games … and has won all nine.

The Pointers are now 2-10 in one-run games this season, with all three postseason losses this season by one run. Zimmerman is now 5-5 on the year, with the team scoring a total of just seven runs in his five losses.

"In close games, you have to be able to execute in the small facets of the game offensively in order to win," said University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point coach Pat Bloom. "We know that when Jordan's on the mound, he's going to give us nine really solid innings. We have to be able to do the little things in order to move runners over, so that we can score runs and we didn't do it tonight."

Meanwhile, Eisenberg claimed his sixth double-digit strikeout effort of the season with his 11-strikeout performance. He has had at least five strikeouts in 14 of his 20 pitching appearances this season.

"He's a first team All-American for a reason," said University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point catcher Doug Coe. "He spotted the ball well all night long, and we didn't make the necessary adjustments."

"We established the fastball early, and the curveball got us deep into a lot of counts," Eisenberg said. "Later in the game, we threw more change-ups. Keeping them off balance helped us out, but good defense was the key today."

Marietta College struck in the fourth inning, scoring two runs. Ryan Belanger led off the inning with a double to right-center field, then came across on a bloop single to right by Justin Steranka. Steranka stole second and moved to third on a throwing error, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Joe Litke.

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point scored its lone run in the bottom of the inning, as Nat Richter led off the stanza with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error. A single to left-center by Adam Evanoff drove home Richter.

In the seventh, Richter stuck again to start the inning, but Marietta College survived the leadoff threat. Richter hit a fly ball to left field that Marietta College outfielder Josh Beebe misjudged. Richter ended up at second on the error, and moved to third after a double-play grounder. A groundout ended the inning and the Pioneers escaped unscathed.

The Pointers went in order in the eighth, and left the potential tying run on base in the ninth against Marietta College's Mike DeMark, who recorded his first save of the year in just his sixth relief appearance. Doug Coe hit a single to center, but a pop-fly bunt was turned into a double play, as a pinch-runner was caught off of first. Chuck Brehm singled and stole second, but a strikeout ended the game.

Jarrod Klausman had two of Marietta College's four hits, including a first-inning double.

By Don Stoner
Augsburg College Sports Information Director

Photography by Lehigh Photo