MARIETTA, Ohio – Mount Union's baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to nationally ranked No. 1 Marietta in Ohio Athletic Conference play, dropping game one 4-1 and falling in game two 6-5 on Wednesday evening.

The Purple Raiders (17-10, 8-4 OAC) struck first in game one, scoring in the top of the third inning when senior Nate Duliba (Berea / Berea-Midpark) hit an RBI single that scored junior Zack Mazza (Flint, Mich. / Powers Catholic) to take a 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers (29-3, 11-1 OAC) would tie the game in the bottom half of the fourth inning when Alex Richter hit an RBI single to tie the game at one. Marietta would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth with RBIs coming from Zach Boyd and Drew Holderbach and would go on to win 4-1.

Senior Carson Davis (Louisville) got the start on the hill for Mount Union giving up four runs on eight hits and struck out four in five innings. Senior Cole Robinson (Lewis Center / Olentangy) came in to pitch two innings of relief and gave up zero runs on zero hits with three strikeouts. Senior Dan Zelina (Mentor) pitched 0.2 innings in relief and gave up zero runs on one hit, senior Collin Skufca (Wooster) came in and pitched the final 0.1 innings and struck out one giving up zero runs and zero hits.

Marietta struck first in game two scoring five runs in the first two innings, they scored two runs in the first inning with RBIs coming from Damian Yenzi and Holderbach. The Pioneers three runs in the second inning came from RBIs from Richter and Turner Hill and a solo home run from Yenzi, giving Marietta a 5-0 lead.

The Raiders would answer with four runs in the top of the third inning when senior Thomas Gallant (Pataskala / Watkins Memorial) hit a grand slam to cut the lead down to one. Marietta added to their lead with a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning, when Hill hit a sacrifice that brought home Trent Castle. Mount Union would cut into the lead again in the top of the fifth off an RBI single from Gallant that scored senior Trey Weaver (Franklin, Pa.), but would fall 6-5.

Senior Dwayne Sumler (Indianapolis, Ind. / Warren Central) started on the mound for Mount Union and gave up five runs on four hits with two strikeouts in two innings. Senior Ryan Osman (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Moon) came in to pitch the final six innings in relief and gave up just one run on five hits and struck out eight.

The Raiders return home next to take on Baldwin Wallace on Saturday, April 23 in an OAC doubleheader at Rafeld-Rogers Field, with game one beginning at 1 p.m. and game two following at 4 p.m. in Alliance.