INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team dropped both games in their series opener against Huntington on Friday afternoon, as the Foresters won by scores of 6-5 and 5-2. Marian falls to 17-29 overall on the year and 11-23 in Crossroads League play.

Game 1 | Marian 5-6 Huntington

Chris Adams got Marian off to a strong start in the opening game of the weekend series, getting a pair of strikeouts to strand a double and walk in the opening frame of the game, while in the second picking up two more strikeouts to scatter a single. The redshirt freshman continued his outing with a scoreless third inning as he ran his strikeout total to six, and in the fourth pitched a perfect inning as he fanned two more Huntington batters. 

As Adams managed to do his job to strand runners, Marian's offense came up empty in sending runners home, as they left five men on base in the first two innings of the game. In the bottom of the third the Knights got going with a shallow single from JJ Rivera, with a walk to Dion Wintjes and a wild pitch that connected with Bryce Davenport's body loading the bases against Max Meisner. Another wild pitch would score Rivera from third, and after walking Caden Mason Meisner was done for the day, but the Knights were unable to add to their new-found lead as they stranded the bases loaded. 

Marian would attempt to score again in the fourth as Caden Jones and Trey Heidlage reached on base hits, but Jones would be thrown out at the plate on a wild pitch to spoil the opportunity. Both sides were retired in order in the fifth, and in the sixth Huntington found their offense, getting the first five men on base on a pair of hit batters, base hits, and a walk. Another hit batter from Adams would plate Huntington's third run of the day, bringing on Jayson Cottrell out of the bullpen. Cottrell struggled through three consecutive singles after getting a strikeout that allowed three runs to score, getting out of the sixth inning trailing 6-1.

The combination of Cottrell, Will Isom, and Jace Stoops held Huntington scoreless for the remainder of the game, as Marian attempted a comeback by driving in a run in the seventh inning on a Bryce Davenport RBI single. The Knights trailed 6-2 entering the final inning, and got a rhythm going as Heidlage and Max Steffen each roped singles. A three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth from Davenport would bring Marian back within a run, but the rally cry ended as Rylan Huntley grounded out, ending the game in the 6-5 decision.

Adams (2-5) struckout nine batters as he threw five-plus innings, with five of the six runs in the game charged to the starter. Cottrell allowed four hits through 1.2 innings of work, while Will Isom and Jace Stoops each allowed a single in their time on the hill. Davenport and Heidlage each had two-hit games with the first baseman posting four of the five RBI. Caden Mason drew a pair of walks to reach base twice in the game. 

Game 2 | Marian 2-5 Huntington

A battle between starting pitchers highlighted the first four innings of the second game in the series, with Damien Wallace and Noah Arbuckle going head to head. Wallace stranded a pair of runners in his first inning of work, while stranding a runner in both the second and third innings. Wallace would pick up two strikeouts in the fourth inning, leaving a double standing on second base to hold the Foresters offense scoreless.

Arbuckle was as good if not better for the visiting Huntington defense, as he sat down Marian batters in quick order. The Knights managed a lead-off single from Kameron Salazar in the first inning but couldn't come up with a score as his pinch runner Caden Mason would reach third. Arbuckle struckout the Marian order in the second inning, and in the third inning the pitcher took advantage of Marian's small ball strategy, stranding Heidlage's lead-off single at third base to hold the shutout. Marian would leave a runner stranded at second in the fourth inning, keeping the scoreless game going.

In the fifth inning Wallace ran up his pitch count, giving up a single, home run, and double to lead off the frame, allowing Huntington to score their first two runs in the game. Wallace would get two flyouts around a walk to attempt to minimize the damage, but an error prolonged the inning, with a double-steal play putting the finishing touches on a four-run inning, ending Wallace's outing after five complete.

Justin Johnson replaced Wallace in the sixth after Arbuckle retired the Knights in order in the bottom of the fifth, and got a double play to end the frame after putting a pair of men on base. In the home side of the sixth Marian attempted a rally as Jackson Hogg and JJ Rivera both singled, but no runs crossed the plate. Johnson would allow one run to score in the seventh as Marian entered their final at-bats trailing 5-0, but got a glimmer of a rally as Dion Wintjes drew a walk and Bryce Davenport hammered a two-run home run. Dawson Estep would reach on an error after the home run, but Marian would be retired by Arbuckle, ending the game in its 5-2 score.

Davenport's home run was one of six Marian hits in the game. Marian would lay down three successful sacrifice bunts in the game, and Wintjes drew the team's only walk. On the mound Wallace (4-5) took his fifth loss of the season, allowing six hits in five innings while walking three batters. Two of the four runs allowed were earned, with the local product striking out three. Justin Johnson allowed two hits and one run in his two innings, striking out two.

Marian will finish their regular season on Saturday, needing two wins against Huntington to keep their season alive and qualify for the Crossroads League Tournament. Marian's senior day twin bill will begin at 1 p.m., with the senior ceremony to take place after game two is completed.

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