MARIETA, Ohio – Junior kicker Jimmy Marshall (Lakewood) hit a career-long 42-yard field goal as time expired to lift Baldwin Wallace past Marietta in an Ohio Athletic Conference game by a final score of 30-28 inside Don Drumm Stadium.
BW (7-1, 6-1 OAC) improved to 35-6 in the all-time series, including winning 12 of the last 13 contests. Marietta (6-2, 5-2 OAC) has now its last two games.
Offensively for BW, senior quarterback Jake Hudson (East Lake, Florida) completed 17 of 27 passes for 235 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Hudson also led the ground attack as he rushed for 72 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown. Senior wide receiver Rob Wolfington (Rapids City, Mich./Elk Rapids) led the receiving corps with a career-high 10 catches for 102 yards with two touchdowns. Defensively, senior All-OAC defensive back Ty Fields (St. Augustine, Fla.) had a career-best and game-high 16 tackles.
Marietta was led by senior quarterback Darrien Fields as he completed 20 of 36 passes for 274 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Junior running back Tanner Clark was the leading rusher as he gained 117 yards on 28 carries with one touchdown. Clark led the receivers with four catches for 81 yards with a 50-yard touchdown. Defensively, sophomore linebacker Caleb Boy recorded 11 tackles.
The Pioneers opened the scoring just 16 seconds into the game as Clark took the opening kickoff 99 yards. Senior kicker Jimmy Embrescia added the extra point.
Marietta added to its lead when Fields hit Clark with a screen pass and he broke a couple of tackles for the 50-yard to push the lead to 14-0 at the 14:47 mark of the second quarter. Embrescia tacked on the point after. The Yellow Jackets cut into the lead at 14-7 when Hudson found senior wide out Chad Steinwachs (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) for the 14-yard score at 11:31 to cap off a two-play and 63-yard drive. Senior wide out Jordan Leverette (Cleveland/John Adams) set up the score with a 49-yard reception. Junior place kicker Jimmy Marshall (Lakewood) hit the point after. The Pioneers responded to extend their lead to 21-7 when Clark rushed nine yards to pay dirt at the 4:48 mark. Embrescia added the extra point.
BW opened the second half scoring to cut the lead down to 21-13 on a five-yard keeper by Hudson at the 11:24 mark. The extra point was no good. The YellowJackets cut the lead down to 21-19 when Wolfington made a remarkable catch on the 20-yard pass from Hudson at 4:16. BW lined up for the extra point but tried a trick play with a rush that came up inches short.
The Yellow Jackets took their first lead at 27-21 when Wolfington caught his second touchdown on a 15-yard pass play from Hudson at the 14:05 mark. Hudson hit junior wide receiver Deion Greer (Toledo/Toledo Central Catholic) in the corner for the two-point conversion. Marietta scored its first point of the second half and regained the lead at 28-27 when Fields scored on a one-yard run at 12:38. Embrescia tacked on the extra point. After a missed Pioneer field goal, BW won the game as Marshall hit the 42-yard field goal as time expired.
The Yellow Jackets close out the home portion of their regular season next Saturday, November 3 when it hosts an OAC game against Ohio Northern University on Seniors' and Parents' Day and the 30th Anniversary of the 1988 OAC Championship at 1:30 p.m. BW plays its regular season finale on Saturday, November 10 when it travels to University Heights for an OAC game against crosstown rival and No. 10-nationally ranked John Carroll University in the 30th Battle for Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy on Wasmer Field at 1:30 p.m.