Charleston, W. Va. - The Marian baseball team got off to a strong start Sunday afternoon as the Knights led 4-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, but a late charge by West Virginia Tech handed Marian a 6-5 loss in nine innings. The walk-off loss drops Marian to 3-2 overall on the season.

Marian came out aggressive at the plate in each of the first three innings, seeking to take an early lead on the Golden Bears in their nine inning game. In the first and third innings Caden Mason would reach base, but the junior was doubled off in the first and caught stealing in the third as West Virginia Tech got out of each frame. In the second inning Marian looked poised to score when Cole McManus drew a lead-off walk and reached third on a stolen base and ground out, but the bats were unable to get the first run across.

Chris Adams took the mound in the game as he made his second start of the season, throwing a near perfect game through three innings as he retired the first seven batters he faced. Adams got into a self-inflicted with one out recorded in the bottom of the third as he walked the second and fourth batter of the inning, but a pair of outs recorded by his infield got the third-year player out of the jam. 

Adams got his first show of run support in the top of the fourth inning as Bryce Davenport unloaded on a pitch over the plate, hammering his first home run of the season out and over the right-center wall. Marian's hitters followed Davenport's homer with three singles by Parker Watts, Johnny Roeder, and Kameron Salazar, but the offense was unable to add to the lead as a pair of outs left the three Knights stranded. Adams was able to keep the game a 1-0 contest despite throwing three walks in the bottom of the fourth, and in the fifth the third-year Knight finished his outing with a three-up, three-down frame.

Marian's offense would strand two runners in both the fifth and sixth innings, but in the seventh were able to add to their lead as a Rylan Huntley base hit ignited a three-run frame. An RBI single from Roeder and two RBI base hit by Salazar helped plate the three runs in the inning, giving reliever Seth Hogg a 4-0 lead. Hogg was unable to keep his new lead however in the bottom of the seventh, as the freshman was roughed up allowing four hits and two walks, bringing in four runs to tie the game. Jace Stoops would get Marian out of the inning, and held the game at 4-4 going into the ninth.

The Knights were able to reclaim their lead in the top of the ninth inning, starting a rally cry behind a lead-off single from Parker Watts. The bases loaded quickly behind a single from Roeder and walk drawn by Salazar, and with one out against Marian, third baseman Dawson Estep recorded an RBI groundout to push Marian in front 5-4. In the bottom of the inning, Stoops was able to get the first out of the frame, but three consecutive singles put the winning run on base. Estep moved in from third to the mound to attempt to get the save, but the relief spot was short-lived as Estep walked back-to-back batters to give up the tying and winning runs, as Marian lost 6-5.

Marian had 13 hits in the loss, with Huntley and Roeder each posting three hits. Salazar had two RBI in his 2-for-4 game, and Davenport drew two walks while hitting his first home run of the season. On the mound, Adams did not factor into the decision as he pitched five hitless innings, striking out four batters against five walks. Hogg allowed five hits in 1.1 innings, and Stoops allowed three hits and two runs in his 2.0 innings on the mound. Estep was charged the loss on the mound in his pitching debut.

Marian and West Virginia Tech will finish their series on Monday afternoon, playing a doubleheader which is slated to begin at noon.

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