INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team bounced back into the win column on Sunday afternoon, closing their series against Concordia with a 12-6 victory. Marian scored runs in bunches Sunday with four coming in the first, while getting five insurance runs in the eighth to move back to .500 on the year.
The Knights got off to a slamming start in the first inning, getting a hot start from Damien Wallace as he coasted through the opening frame after allowing a lead-off single. Looking to jump early, Trey Heidlage barreled a single to wake the bats, while Dawson Estep singled and Jackson Hogg worked a walk. The scoring started on an RBI single from Bryce Davenport, while Dion Wintjes plated a run with an RBI fielder's choice. The Knights completed their scoring on a two-RBI single from Rylan Huntley, ending the first with a 4-0 lead.
Wallace cruised after his first inning, retiring the side in order in both the second and third innings. Wallace continued to cruise picking up his 10th and 11th consecutive outs in the fourth, but ran into his first sign of trouble allowing a pair of two-out singles. Concordia would get on the board taking advantage of a dropped fly ball in the outfield to score their first run, but the Marian ace got out of the frame with a groundout on the right side.
Marian held the Cardinals scoreless in the fifth, and got a run back in the home half as Huntley smacked a hit into right field, scoring JJ Rivera as the Knights executed a hit-and-run. Wallace grooved on the hill as he ended the sixth with a strikeout to strand a two-out double, and in the seventh the right-hander scattered a pair of base hits to end his day a six-run cushion.
The lead grew to six runs for Marian in the home half of the sixth, with Hogg belting a sacrifice fly to center field, while Davenport hammered a double to the right field fence to score Heidlage, making it a 7-1 lead. The run support was needed, as Craig Nixon struggled for the second consecutive outing in his relief spot of Wallace. The Cardinals benefited from a hit batter, a single, and an error, before another hit batter and a walk thrown by Nixon brought in two runs. Taylor Soper came in to get out of the inning, which the senior was able to do but not before the Cardinals made the affair a one-run score.
Seeking insurance runs, the Knights attacked the Cardinals fourth pitcher of the game, opening the inning with a lead-off double from Heidlage. A single for Estep continued the hit parade, as Hogg, Davenport, and Wintjes followed with three consecutive RBI hits. Wintjes' double plated two runs and grew the lead back to five runs, leaving Marian in front 11-6 as they forced the Cardinals to go further into the bullpen. A final double from Rivera would extend the lead back to six runs, as he added an RBI double to cap the five-run frame.
With the added runs to his ledger, Soper would strand a single and a walk, ending the game with runners on the corners as Marian completed the series with a 12-6 victory. The Knights hammered 15 base hits in the win, with Rivera doubling twice to lead the team on the day. Davenport also had three hits, as he and Wintjes each had three RBI.
Wallace earned the win on the mound, throwing seven strong innings while scattering six hits. Wallace struckout five in the win, and Soper picked up a six-out save over two innings of work.
Marian is set to begin Crossroads League play in their next series, splitting a four-game set with Goshen College. Marian is slated to host two games on March 2 with the Maple Leafs at MU Ballpark at 3:00 p.m.
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