Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Kokomo, Ind. - The Marian baseball team picked up their third consecutive victory with a game one win over Spring Arbor Thursday afternoon at Championship Park in Kokomo, before dropping the second act of the twin bill to the Cougars. Marian's game one 8-7 win was followed by an 11-8 loss, sending the Knights' overall record to 11-11. Marian is 5-5 in Crossroads League play so for this season.

Game One | Marian 8-7 Spring Arbor

The Knights wasted little time getting runs on the board, plating one run in each the first and second inning with the help of small ball. Trey Heidlage singled to lead-off the game and scored after a sacrifice bunt on an RBI single from Jackson Hogg, while in the second a Rylan Huntley walk turned into a run as Aaron Hunter drove in the shortstop on a sacrifice fly. The 2-0 lead balanced the pitching attack of Daniel Brenneman, who was making his first start of the season. Brenneman was near flawless through two innings working around a single in the first inning, but had troubles in the third as he pitched a one-out walk. A pair of singles followed the walk and scored Spring Arbor's first run of the game, while a sacrifice fly drove in a second to tie the game 2-2. Brenneman worked a ground out to close the inning, holding the game at a draw after two complete.

Marian's bats went cold after the first two innings, stranding runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth innings. While the offense was unable to create a new lead, Brenneman was able to keep Marian in the game with nine outs in 11 batters faced, pitching near perfect from the fourth inning on. The right-hander strayed a lead-off walk in the fifth, and exited after six complete innings while stranding a one-out double in the sixth. The game turned to the bullpen in the seventh, and Spring Arbor took advantage of the pitching change as Jace Stoops surrendered four base hits and a walk in seven batters faced, setting up four Cougar runs. Will Isom was called on to get out of the inning, doing so after walking a batter with a strikeout, as the Knights fell behind 6-2. 

In the top of the eighth, Marian answered the call with six runs, starting a rally as Huntley drew a two-out walk. Three straight hits with Hunter's RBI single gave Marian a run, while an RBI hit from Heidlage and two-RBI triple by Kameron Salazar pushed Marian in the lead. Hogg added an RBI single to score Salazar and jolt Marian in front 8-6, capping the six-run frame as the Knights' two-out magic provided a lead. Spring Arbor would score one more run to get closer as Isom gave up a run in the home side of the eighth, but in the ninth the Cougars were denied as Michael Mates locked down the save by facing four batters in the ninth to hold on to the 8-7 victory. 

Isom collected the win in the game recording four outs, while Mates picked up his first save on the season. Caden Mason, Hunter, and Heidlage each had two hits in the Marian win, while Hogg recorded three base hits. 

Game Two | Marian 8-11 Spring Arbor

Like the first game, Marian's offense provided the early spark as drove in three runs in the top of the first inning. Heidlage drew a lead-off walk, and after swiping second base came around to score on an RBI single from Salazar. Hogg singled to collect his fourth hit of the series, as Caden Jones picked up a two RBI single to push the total to 3-0. Chris Adams worked a scoreless first inning stranding the bases loaded as the Cougars threatened to score, but in the second inning he was unsuccessful in getting out unharmed. The redshirt-freshman gave up a pair of home runs, seeing six runs go on the board before exiting the game. Joe Nelan cleaned up the inning getting the final two outs, as Marian fell behind 6-3.

The Knights managed to get a run back in the top of the third as an error helped Hogg reach base in the second at bat. Hogg would come around to score on a Rylan Huntley single and get back within two runs, but the Cougars would extend their lead off of Nelan in the third. The southpaw allowed one hit as two runs scored, with a pair of Marian errors helping Spring Arbor grow their lead to 8-4. The Knights would be held scoreless in the top of the fourth, and in the home half of the frame Seth Risley made his second relief appearance, allowing a two-run home run as two more Cougars crossed the plate. 

Marian kept fighting despite trailing by six runs, drawing back four in the top of the fifth inning. A walk to Bryce Davenport started the big inning, as Jones followed with a walk behind him. With two outs, Johnny Roeder delivered an RBI single, with Max Steffen plating runs with his RBI base hit. Heidlage cleaned the scoring as Marian brought their total to eight following the senior's base knock, as Marian clawed back within two runs. 

Spring Arbor would add a run to their totals off of Jayson Cottrell in the bottom of the fifth to push ahead 11-8, which would stand as the final score. Cottrell held the Cougars scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, but Marian's offense came up empty in each of their final two trips to the plate, stranding a Jones single in the top of the sixth while going down in order in the seventh. 

The loss ended Marian's three-game win streak, with Adams falling to 1-3 overall on the year. Jones led Marian's offense in the final game of the day going 2-2 with a pair of walks, while five other Knights had one base hit. 

Marian will aim to end the series strong on Monday as the eight-game road trip continues, playing in Michigan on Spring Arbor's campus Monday afternoon. Start time for the series finale has yet to be announced. 

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