Mishawaka, Ind. - The Marian baseball team snapped back into the win column late Saturday afternoon, winning the series finale against the Bethel Pilots as they halted a seven-game losing skid. Marian dropped the first game of Saturday's doubleheader 7-3, before roaring back in game two with an 8-3 win as they improve to 14-22 overall and 8-16 in Crossroads League play.
Game 1 | Marian 3-7 Bethel
The Knights jumped on the board in their first opportunity of the game Saturday as
JJ Rivera tattooed an 0-1 pitch to deep right field to provide a quick 1-0 lead, however the Pilots were able to match in the home half of the first as a single and shifty work on the base path by Jeremy Wiersema brought in a run against
Taylor Soper. After the first inning excitement, the contest turned into a pitcher's duel between Soper and Ty Mickiewicz, as both starters retired the side in order in the second inning.
A double play aided the Pilots in the third on the defensive side, and in the home half an error surrounded by singles and a sacrifice bunt brought in the go ahead run for Bethel. Soper was able to strand two runners in the third to hold the score at 2-1, and in the fourth left a one-out single on the base path with back to back groundouts. The southpaw would strand another two runners in the fifth inning as a pair of strikeouts highlighted his frame, and in the sixth the game drew back to a draw as Rivera cranked his second solo shot of the game.
Rivera's third home run of the season tied the game 2-2, and in the bottom of the sixth Soper once again left two Pilots stranded on base to keep the score balanced. Marian had an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the seventh as
Rylan Huntley and
Max Steffen roped back to back base hits, with Steffen's double putting runners at second and third. The Knights were unable to score as a groundout and strikeout ended the frame, and in the bottom of the seventh Soper allowed two hits and walk, with Wiersema scoring the go-ahead run for Bethel.
The Knights were retired in order in the eighth as they looked to climb out of their 3-2 hole, and in the bottom of the inning Bethel was able to charge in front as
Jace Stoops entered to pitch out of the bullpen. Stoops started strong with a strikeout, but a single and walk coupled with a wild pitch set up a Wiersema sacrfice fly. The righty was one-out away from ending the inning, but a walk prolonged the frame, giving Dominic Deisler an at-bat, as the Bethel catcher hit a towering three-run homerun to extend the home lead to five runs.
Marian would make it interesting as they were able to load the bases with hits from Huntley and Steffen and an error that
Dion Wintjes reached on, but only one run would cross the plate as the Knights fell 7-3. Soper threw the longest outing in his Marian career as he threw seven innings, striking out seven batters while allowing eight his and three runs. Marian had eight hits as a team in the win with Rivera going 2-4 to lead the way, hitting a pair of solo home runs. Huntley and Steffen also finished 2-4, and
Caden Mason had a sacrifice fly RBI in the game.
Game 2 | Marian 8-3 Bethel
For the second consecutive game the Knights managed to score in the first inning, as
JJ Rivera stayed hot at the plate by recording a two-out double to score
Rylan Huntley, who reached on a one-out single. The Knights would chalk another run in the second inning as
Josh Lamb led-off the frame with a single, with his courtesy runner
Johnny Roeder scoring on a passed ball after reaching third on a
Caden Mason single.
The early runs were great support behind
Chris Adams, as the Knights game two starter started a strong outing. Adams retired the side in order to open the game, and in the second left a double stranded as he recorded an inning-ending strikeout. The redshirt-freshman pitched out of a jam in the third inning as he stranded a two-out walk and single with a flyout to Mason in centerfield, and in the top of the fourth gained a cushion as
Trey Heidlage blasted a three-run homerun, scoring both Wintjes and Roeder to give Marian a 5-0 lead.
Adams would yield his first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning as Bethel had a home run of their own with Alex Stout hitting a solo-homerun, but the pitcher ended the inning strong with a groundout and strikeout. Marian would scratch out another run in the top of the fifth as Lamb recorded an RBI single, giving Marian a 6-1 advantage.
Dawson Estep would add to the Knights lead in the sixth with a solo home run, as his second homer of the season gave Adams a 7-1 lead.
The Marian pitcher continued to sit down Pilot batters as he notched a strikeout in a scoreless fifth, and in the sixth powered through to strand a pair of runners and keep the six-run lead in tact. Marian was able to add another run in the top of the seventh to increase the lead to seven runs as
Jackson Hogg scored on a wild pitch, which would be more than enough support for the pitchers. Adams attempted to complete the game in the bottom of the seventh, but after allowing a single and hitting a batter, his day would end.
Jayson Cottrell inherited the two runners left by his teammate, and after allowing two Pilots to reach base that allowed two runs to score, the southpaw was able to end the game with a three-pitch strikeout.
Marian's 8-3 win was highlighted by Adams on the mound, who allowed five hits in six completed innings and six total hits on the day, with the three Bethel runs charged to the starter. Adams struckout four on the day, and Cottrell picked up a strikeout in his relief inning facing five batters.
The offense combined for 12 hits in the win, with Rivera and Lamb each going 3-4 with an RBI. Heidlage and Estep's home runs were their only hits of the game, as the duo combined for four RBI.
Marian will look to close a season-sweep of Mt. Vernon Nazarene on Monday afternoon, as they finish their season series against the Cougars that was halted after rain washed the initial April 1 date. First pitch of Monday's doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.
MUKnights.com: Your online source for Marian Athletics, tickets, multimedia, Knight merchandise, photos, and more.
