INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian softball team put up a fight, but were unable to pull off the comeback against a strong Columbia College team Tuesday afternoon. The Knights fell 4-2 to the Cougars, dropping them to the elimination bracket and moving their record to 46-7 on the season.
Both teams started the game off with a hit and leaving runners on in the first inning, before Columbia were the first to get on the board with a solo shot to left field. Marian managed to get out of the inning, but a three up three down left the Knights trailing 1-0 after two complete.
The Cougars continued their tear in the top half of the third inning, as they picked up the bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error, which would allow a runner to score. Mackenzie Dalton got Marian rolling in the bottom of the third with a single to right field, where she eventually made her way to second. Savannah Harweger and Anna Pritchett kept the bats going for the Knights as they both picked up a single, with Pritchett's hit scoring Dalton to give Marian their first score of the game.
Columbia responded with a two-run homer to center, extending their lead to 4-1. Sydney Wilson was sent to the mound to relieve Olivia Stunkel, as Wilson tossed in a strike out and forced the ground out to put away the Cougars in the top of the fourth.
Marian saw their next chance in the bottom of the fifth after Harweger doubled to left center and Pritchett had the bunt single to advance Harweger to third. The Knights had a chance to cut their deficit with runners in scoring position, but the Cougars managed to leave the Marian runners stranded to hold their 4-1 lead after five innings of action.
Wilson and the Marian defense went one-two-three in the top half of the sixth, giving some momentum to the Marian offense. A Dalton RBI double sent Caroline Roop home, who singled up the middle earlier in the inning. With the tying run up to bat, Columbia put a stop to the threat, as they got out of the inning with a strikeout for the third out.
The Knights held the Cougars in the top of the seventh inning, with Wilson striking out the final two batters to give her team one last chance. In a comeback attempt, Marian was unable to find themselves a hit as they would fall 4-2.
In Marian's eight hits, Harweger, Pritchett and Dalton led with two hits, with Pritchett and Dalton recording an RBI as well. Harweger and Dalton each picked up a double, while Madere and Roop also added a hit. Wilson dished out four strikeouts and gave up two hits in her 3.2 innings pitched, while Stunkel had three strikeouts and gave up four runs.
Marian will play the loser of Tennessee Wesleyan and Middle Georgia St. Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in an elimination game.
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