INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian softball team took on No. 20 Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader between two of the top teams in the Crossroads League. The Wildcats returned the favor from Marian's sweep earlier in the season, as the Knights fall in both games for the first time this season, making their record 38-6 on the year and 27-5 in CL play.
Game 1 | Marian 0-1 Indiana Wesleyan
After the first few innings, it looked like the game was going to be a pitching duel between Olivia Stunkel and Alyssa Wagner, with the pair each dishing out four strikeouts through the first three innings. Both Marian and Indiana Wesleyan seemed to be putting on a defensive clinic as neither team could get anything going.
The Wildcats found themselves on the scoreboard first after a double to left center scored the first run of the game in the top of the sixth. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom half of the inning, the Knights registered their first hit off an Abby Madere single, before advancing to second on Sierra Norman's walk. With runners in good position, Marian would be left stranded as back-to-back foul outs ended the inning.
Marian's defense allowed no hits for Indiana Wesleyan to put themselves in a good spot as they headed into the bottom half of the final inning. However, Wildcats defense proved to be sound as they went three up three down to end the Knights' chance at a comeback to win game one 1-0.
Madere had Marian's only hit of the game. Stunkel threw all seven innings, dishing out seven strikeouts in the loss.
Game 2 | Marian 3-8 Indiana Wesleyan
Sydney Wilson was flawless through the first two innings to help Marian get off to a good start in game two. Indiana Wesleyan carried over their defensive efficiency from game one as they gave up no hits as well through the first two innings.
In the top of the third inning, the Wildcats picked up three runs to take the early 3-0 lead. Marian finally got the bats going after Savannah Baker started the bottom half of the inning off with a single to right field, before scoring a pair of plays later on Savannah Harweger's single.
Wilson's one-two-three in the next inning gave the Knights some momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning, but two runners would be left on as Marian still trailed 3-1 going into the fifth inning. The visitors kept their bats hot as they managed to tack on another run to go ahead by three, before padding their lead even more with two more scores in the top of the sixth.
Marian tried to answer in the bottom of the sixth, but the defense by the Wildcats continued to prove dominant. Two more runs were scored in the top of the final inning as Indiana Wesleyan grew their lead to 8-1, making for a lot of ground to be made up by the Knights.
Raegan Hiatt started the bottom of the seventh off with a bang as she homered to center field. Madere would later pick up the RBI single to make it 8-3, but the Marian deficit was too much to come back from as the Wildcats would hold off the late attempt from the Knights to win 8-3.
Harweger and Baker led Marian with two hits each, while Madere, Hayley Greene, Hiatt, and Maddy Trisler all recorded one hit. Hiatt had the Knights' lone homerun of the day to also pick up the RBI. Harweger and Madere also added an RBI in the loss. Wilson took the loss in her six innings pitched, striking out one and giving up six hits. Abigail McPherson pitched one inning, giving up two hits.
Marian will be back home on Tuesday in their final home game of the year as they host Mt. Vernon Nazarene at 3 p.m.
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