INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team was unable to cool off the bats of St. Francis Thursday evening at MU Ballpark, as the Knights suffered a sweep against the Cougars from Fort Wayne. Marian's pair of losses drop them back to 7-11 on the year in CL play, while falling to 13-17 overall.
Game 1 | Marian 2-8 St. Francis
The opening game of the evening opened as a pitcher's dual, with
Damien Wallace and Deron Swanson matching each other with perfect first innings. Wallace was perfect once more in the second inning and the Knights plated the first hit of the game with
JJ Rivera's lead-off double in the home half of the inning, but Marian was unable to get a run across as both Rivera and
Dawson Estep were stranded on base.
Double plays in the third inning on both sides of the diamond kept the quick paced game moving as each starting pitcher got help from the defense, but in the fourth the shutout would see an end as David Miller belted a solo home run off of Wallace deep over the right field fence for the first run of the night. Wallace was able to get out of the inning and was near run support in the home side as a
Caden Jones walk and Rivera single gave the Knights a pair of base runners, but the Knights were unable to score despite Estep loading the bases with a two-out walk.
The game would be decided in the top of the fifth inning, as Wallace struggled early in the frame allowing back to back lead-off doubles. St. Francis continued to fill the bases after the pair of hits as a walk and fielder's choice would eventually put runners on the corners, with a failed stolen base defensive play from the Knights allowing another Cougar to cross the plate. Following a second walk in the frame the Cougars had two men on, giving Miller a chance for three RBI as the grad student for the Cougars took Wallace deep for a three-run home run, ending the scoring with St. Francis in front 6-0.
Marian left two men on the in the fifth as they were unsuccessful in their attempt to plate a run, but in the home half of the sixth would erase the goose egg as Estep singled for his first hit, while
Caden Mason roped a triple to right field to bring in the home team's first run. The Knights were unable to add to their total following the pair of two out hits, and left the bases loaded in the seventh as they were unable to capture momentum from
Joe Nelan's pair of strikeouts. Nelan would allow two runs in the eighth as Miller took the reliever deep for a solo home run that Rivera just missed at keeping in the yard, while a sacrifice fly brought in the eighth run. A
Jackson Hogg RBI single in the bottom of the ninth would be the final score of the day, as the Knights fell 8-2.
Wallace allowed six runs with four crossing the plate as earned as he dropped to 4-2 on the year. Wallace managed to strikeout three in his five innings, while Nelan fanned three in his three innings of relief.
Seth Risley tossed a perfect relief inning in the ninth to close the mound. At the plate Rivera had two of Marian's eight hits, with Mason and Hogg notching the only RBI.
Game 2 | Marian 4-17 St. Francis
The second act of the night opened with an even first inning, with both team's pushing a run across in the first inning. A lead-off hit and pair of stolen bases from Jayden Lepper put
Craig Nixon in a tough spot to open, as the pitcher would allow a run with Miller grounding out. Nixon would allow two more Cougars to reach before getting out of the inning, keeping it a 1-0 score.
Trey Heidlage led off the home half with a four-pitch walk as Marian looked to match the damage. The senior moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and an error, and scored one batter later on a passed ball tying the score after one complete.
In the second inning, Nixon was not as lucky on the hill as the Cougars piled on runs six total runs in the inning. Nixon gave up two walks, four base hits, and hit two batters, seeing six runs cross the plates as his day ended after making two outs in the frame.
Taylor Soper ended the inning after allowing two hits, closing the frame with the score 8-1.
Soper stranded a pair of hits in the third inning to hold the score as is, but in the fourth the Marian bullpen struggled to find the zone, as three different pitchers combined to give up eight runs on three base hits. After four complete the score stood at 16-1, as Marian fell flat at the plate and were unable to respond against Blaine McRae. The Cougars would add a run off of
Jace Stoops in the sixth to increase their lead, and in the bottom of the seventh
Kameron Salazar and
Donavan Shepherd earned later RBI wearing bases-loaded hit by pitches.
Will Isom would score on a wild pitch to end the scoring, as the Knights fell 17-4.
JJ Rivera had the lone hit in the second game for Marian, and nine Knights in total reached base as the Cougars walked or hit eight others.
Jace Stoops had the longest outing on the mound throwing 2.2 innings, collecting six strikeouts in his work.
Justin Johnson finished the game on the hill, fanning a pair of batters in his seventh inning work.
Marian will start a six-game road trip on Monday afternoon as they look to get back in the win column, traveling to Grace College for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
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