Marietta gains split with EC in series, deciding game Thursday

SHARPSBURG-The Marietta Blue Devils took advantage of eight errors by the East Coweta Indians Wednesday night to come away with an 11-6 victory and force a split in their second round AAAAAA state baseball playoff matchup.

Marietta's win forced the deciding game to be played Thursday afternoon at 5:30 with the winner to face the winner of the series between Milton and Lambert.

The Indians (27-3) scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to win the opener 3-2 as the Blue Devils were guilty of an error.

Marietta (22-8) took the lead with two outs in the top of the first inning as Travis Wildermuth reached on a walk and brother Trent followed with a single.

On the play the throw to third from the outfield bounced away and courtesy runner Will Crowe was able to come home with the lone run of the frame.

After Indians starter Zack McCurry retired the first two batters in the top of the third inning, the Blue Devils took a 2-0 lead as Travis Wildermuth hit a solo home run over the right field fence with the ball hitting a window of a Mazda van.

The Indians, who had several chances to rally early in the contest came back in the bottom of the fifth inning Blake Lorow, Travis Williams and Tim Manning reached on consecutive singles that allowed EC to get on the scoreboard as courtesy runner Graydon Treadwell came home.

Cameron Smith followed with a fielder's choice that forced Manning at second and Bryce Gemmel followed with a ground ball that was mishandled at third allowing Williams to score the tying run and Smith came home with the lead run as the throw got away from the catcher.

The Blue Devils had a chance to regain the lead with one out in the top of the sixth inning as the Wildermuths reached on consecutive walks but McCurry responded strongly as he induced an infield fly from Eric Henderson and a strikeout of Marcus Mitchell to end the frame.

McCurry, who finished with a three-hitter recorded 11 strikeouts as he retired the side in order in the top of the seventh inning to end the game.

The nightcap got off to a rough start for the Indians as Jordan Mathis led off the bottom of the first inning by reaching first on an error and moving to third on an error before coming out on a sacrifice fly by Travis Wildermuth.

The Indians tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning as Williams reached on a dropped third strike, advanced to second on a single by Smith and came home when Cole Antmann singled to left field.

Marietta regained the lead after two outs in the bottom of the frame as Mathis walked, Wilson reached on an error and Indians starter Austin Bellamy threw a wild pitch that brought Mathis home with the lead run.

Travis Wildermuth reached on a walk and Trent Wildermuth followed with a two-run single that gave the Blue Devils a 4-1 lead and he advanced to second on an error.

The error hurt as the Blue Devils added one more run in the frame when Henderson followed with a run scoring single to left.

Marietta took a 7-1 lead with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning as TJ Bulock singled, Piggee doubled and Mathis followed a sacrifice fly to right field.

Wilson followed with a triple that scored Bradley Piggee and Bellamy was relieved by Brandon Ruston who retired the next batter on strikes.

East Coweta did not give up as they scored twice in the top of the sixth inning as Geremy Walton doubled and Matthew Meyer followed with a walk for Austin Jones ho followed with a single that loaded the bases.

Williams singled to right to score Walton and a wild pitch allowed Meyer to score but the Indians were unable to get any more runs as Henderson retired the next three batters to end the frame.

The game appeared to be decided in the bottom of the sixth inning as three errors led to four runs that gave the Blue Devils an 11-4 lead.

The final margin came in the top of the seventh inning Amtmann doubled and  Jonathan Banks followed with a two-run home run but that would be as close the Indians could get despite adding two more base runners in the frame.