Columbus, Ga. - The Marian softball team jumped out to an early lead Monday afternoon and never looked back, as the Knights raced past the Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies 6-0 to advance in the NAIA World Series. Marian's elimination bracket win over the Grizzlies improves the team record to 52-8, as Marian reaches their first-ever NAIA World Series Semifinal Round.

Marian wasted little time jumping on the Grizzlies, getting a lift from their defense as Sydney Wilson worked around a two-out single to bring the bats to the plate. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Abby Madere smoked a single through the middle of the infield, with Sierra Norman following with one of her own. Both runner's moved into scoring position on the play, and after a bobbled ball at shortstop off Hayley Greene's bat, Madere was able to score the opening run of the game.

Georgia Gwinnett aided Marian in scoring their next run as their catcher threw the softball into center field as Greene stole second, letting Norman score with ease. Grace Meyer followed with an RBI single to jump the score to 3-0, and Savannah Baker followed with a single of her own, forcing an errant throw in a run down to let Meyer trot home. Wilson pitched a perfect second frame, and in the bottom of the second the lead grew to five runs, as Savannah Harweger singled and scored after stealing second on a base hit from Anna Pritchett. 

With a solid lead at hand, Wilson continued to groove in the circle, retiring the side in order in the third and fourth innings, while in the fifth facing the minimum after walking the lead-off. Wilson's only innings where she faced harm came in the sixth and seventh, as the Grizzlies attempted a rally. In the sixth an error and base hit helped the visiting team put two runners on base, with both moving into scoring position on a fly ball and stolen base. Staying calm, Wilson delivered a strikeout to end the sixth inning, leaving both runners on base.

In the home half of the sixth Marian gained an insurance run as Meyer was hit by a pitch, with Caitlyn Phillips coming on as a pinch-runner. Phillips moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and in a pinch-hit role Lily Wendt pushed a swinging bunt up the first base line, reaching safely as she pulled the catcher away from the dish. Seeing the plate open, Phillips rounded third hard and scored, giving her fellow senior pitcher a 6-0 lead. Wilson picked up the first two outs in the seventh inning before letting a pair of runners to reach, but the adversity didn't faze the senior, as she worked a seven-pitch strikeout to complete her second shutout of the world series. 

Wilson's fifth win of the NAIA Tournament came in a three-hit gem, as the senior allowed just six batters to reach base while additionally stranding a walk, hit batter, and an error. Wilson struckout five batters in her complete game win, doing so in 97 pitches. At the plate the Knights collected seven base hits, with seven different players recording a base hit. Pritchett, Meyer, and Wendt each had an RBI in the win.

In the win, Savannah Harweger and Sierra Norman made history, breaking Marian single season records. Harweger collected her 106th base hit of the season with her base knock in the second, breaking Logan Personnett's '17 record set in 2017. Norman made eight putouts at first base in the win, breaking Mackenzie Reeder's '18 single season putout record. 

Marian's win advances them to the NAIA World Series Semifinal Round, where the Knights will take on the Owls of Oregon Tech. The third meeting between the two programs will take place on Tuesday May 30, with first pitch slated for 4:03 p.m. The semifinal and championship games will be streamed on ESPN3.



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