The Marietta College Pioneers traveled to Appleton, WI the last week of May in search for their NCAA D3 record 5th national championship. The Etta Express did exactly that while finishing the tournament 5-1 and bringing home their 5th national championship trophy. Marietta has now made 21 appearances at the D3 World Series. The historical Marietta College baseball program has also seen each senior class since 1975 make at least one trip to the national championship tournament.

Behind strong pitching, defense and a high powered offense, Marietta opened the tourney by blanking Salisbury (MD) 8-0, and then beat Chapman (CA) 9-4 in game 2. Remaining in the winners bracket the Pioneers defeated Beuna Vista (IA) 5-1 and won the throw away game over Keystone 11-2 setting up a possible 2 game showdown against the winner of the losers bracket Chapman (CA). Marietta would lose the first game to Chapman 15-4 and see a 22 game winning streak end only to win it's 5th national title by drubbing the Panthers 18-5 in the final game.

Marietta finished the season ranked #1 in NCAA Division 3. The Pioneer pitching staff held on to a stingy 1.74 ERA through 51 games good for the top team ERA in the nation. Through the first 3 games of the tournament, Marietta only allowed 1 earned run in 27 innings of baseball. Offensively the Pioneers completed the season ranked 12th in the country with a .338 team batting average. They were also ranked 13th defensively with a .968 team fielding percentage.

Local Scioto County native Aaron Hopper of Wheelersburg was a vital part of the Etta Express tournament run. Hopper was named to the 2011 NCAA All-Tournament team while leading the Pioneers in hitting with a .417 batting average, 8 RBI, 2 doubles and 1 triple while swiping 2 bases. Hopper went 4-5 in the championship game which included a key 2 out double to deep centerfield in the top of the 1st inning to plate the first two runs of the ball game. The Pioneers would never look back by blowing the game open with a 7 run 3rd inning.