Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 INDIANAPOLIS - The 2023 Marian baseball season came to its conclusion on Saturday evening, as the Knights fell twice to Huntington on their senior day. Marian's two losses leave the Knights with a final record of 17-31, going 11-25 in Crossroads League action. 

Game 1 | Marian 2-12 Huntington | 7 Innings

The Knights dropped the opening game of the doubleheader to Huntington, as the Foresters offense overpowered Marian. After both sides were retired in order in the first inning, a five-run frame from Huntington in the top of the second put the winning runs on the board against Taylor Soper. Soper allowed a trifecta of singles before giving up a three run home run, pushing the first four runs in. An error at shortstop after a double would bring in another run, closing the five run frame. Marian would answer with a run of their own in the home half as a JJ Rivera single turned into a score on an RBI groundout from Caden Jones.

Soper held the Foresters scoreless in the third inning as a runner he picked off helped him face the minimum, but in the fourth two more runs would get thrown on the board, with another miscue along with two hits in the Knights' aiding the Huntington cause. Marian was unable to add runs in the third and fourth, and in the fifth Jace Stoops was called in out of the bullpen, getting a strong start with a three pitch strikeout before allowing a home run. Stoops would get the second out of the inning, but a pair of walks and hit batter loaded the bases, setting up a Langston Ginder double to score three more runs. 

The Foresters big inning put Marian in an 11-1 hole, but the Knights were able to get a run back in the bottom of the fifth on a Kameron Salazar RBI single. The run made it an 11-2 score, however the rally to get back in the game stopped for Marian as they were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. Huntington added a run against Michael Mates in the top of the sixth inning, which stood in the final score of 12-2.

Marian was out-hit 13-5 in the game, with Soper allowing nine base hits as he fell to 1-4 on the year. Stoops allowed two hits and four runs with two showing as earned, and Mates yielded two hits and one run in his two innings of work. The Knights hits were spread out among five players, with Salazar having the lone RBI hit. Rivera, Josh Lamb, Caden Mason, and Dawson Estep each had one hit in the loss.

Game 2 | Marian 5-16 Huntington | 5 Innings

Daniel Brenneman started the final game of the season, and got charged for a pair of runs in the first inning of the game as he allowed two hits and a walk, with a pair of errors helping score two unearned runs. A double play spoiled the Knights' first at bat of the game, and in the second inning Brenneman was roughed up once more, giving up five runs with three extra base hits helping their cause. Marian would answer with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second as the offense got going, with a Bryce Davenport single starting the hitting, while singles for Caden Jones and Trey Heidlage would help knock in two runs. A Caden Mason double drove in Jones, giving Marian three in the inning to trail 7-3.

A lead off triple in the third would come around to score as Brenneman saw the eighth run cross the plate under his watch, and as the inning switched following three straight outs, mother nature intervened. A storm cell covered the campus, and caused a near three-hour delay in the game. During the break Marian honored their seniors, and after a 2:52 delay, returned to play in the bottom of the third inning.

In the home half Marian got hits from JJ Rivera and Bryce Davenport, but a pair of strikeouts would end the inning. Huntington drove their score up in the top of the fourth inning against Jayson Cottrell, posting five hits to bring in five runs. Ethan Davis would record the final out of the inning to stop the bleeding, leaving Marian trailing 13-3. Marian would get one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning as Trey Heidlage scored on an error, making it 13-4, but Huntington again flexed their offense with Davis yielding three runs to open the inning.

Seth Risley finished the frame, and in the bottom of the fifth Marian scored their final run of the season, with Bryce Davenport belting a solo home run to right center field for his third yard call of the weekend. Davenport would put up the final hit of the game as Marian grounded out three consecutive at bats, as the umpires called the game with five innings complete and an official game being played on the scorecard. 

Brenneman took the loss in his final outing, pitching three innings while getting two strikeouts. Cottrell, Davis, and Risley each recorded two outs, with Cottrell and Risley getting one strikeout each. Marian had eight hits in the final, with Davenport going 3-3 and Mason goint 2-3. Heidlage had two RBI in his final outing as a Knight, and Caden Jones and JJ Rivera both posted a single. 

Marian ends their season at 17-31, finishing ninth in the final Crossroads League standings.

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