New Albany, Ind. - The Marian Softball team swept their season opening doubleheader against IU-Southeast Monday afternoon, winning game one 11-0 in five innings and game two 11-4. The Knights are 2-0 on the young season following their first wins of the season.

Game 1 | Marian 11-0 Indiana Southeast | 5 Innings

The Knights got off to a quick start offensively in game one against the Grenadiers plating a run in the first inning as Abby Madere reached base with two outs, and an errant throw on an infield grounder hit by Sierra Norman to the pitcher producing a quick run. The Knights then continued to take advantage of the poor defense from the host school in the top of the second inning, as six runs scored on four hits. Abbey Hoffman reached base for the first time in her young career on an error, while a pair of two-out walks loaded the bases for Anna Pritchett, who ripped a two-RBI single. 

Abby Madere came to the plate with a 3-0 lead following Pritchett's single, and like her classmate she too delivered a 2-RBI base hit to drive in two more runs. Sierra Norman would clean up the inning in a big way, capping the six-run frame with a two-run home run to center field, as her 35th career home run gave Marian a 7-0 lead after nine outs of softball. The Knights were held scoreless in the third inning, but would gain another run in the top of the fourth as Madere continued her big day with an RBI double that scored Savannah Harweger.

Leading 8-0 entering the fifth inning, Marian put the game to rest in the top half with Emily Phillips recording her first career RBI on a sacrifice fly, and Harweger drove in another run with her RBI groundout. The strong opening game for Madere ended with another RBI hit, as the sophomore singled to center to drive in Lily Wendt for the 11th run of the contest, capping the scoring for the Knights.

Defensively, Olivia Stunkel picked up where she left off during the 2023 season as she began the afternoon with three perfect innings in the circle. Stunkel recorded one strikeout in her first three innings, and started the fourth inning strong with two ground outs. A two-out base hit would end the junior's perfect game bid, while two walked batters applied pressure to the pitcher, but Stunkel stood tall getting a strikeout to end the fourth unscathed. Macy Coan would make her collegiate debut to finish the game in the fifth inning, pitching a scoreless frame as she allowed just one walk facing four batters to end the run-rule 11-0 victory.

In the circle, Stunkel claimed the win throwing four shutout innings, striking out two batters against two walks. Stunkel would allow the only hit of the game, and Coan carried the same walk to strikeout ratio as her teammate in her first inning of work in 2024. The Knights had eight hits in the five innings played with Madere and Wendt combining for five of the base knocks. Madere had three hits and four RBI to lead the team, while Norman's first home of the season plated two runs. 

Game 2 | Marian 11-4 Indiana Southeast | 7 Innings

Unlike game one, Marian got the slow start on offense as their side was retired in order in the top of the first, while IU-Southeast found offense with the Grenadiers managing three hits and a run off starter Jaylah Guilliam. Guilliam would strand two runners as a strikeout and flyout ended the threat, and in the top of the second her offense came to her defense with four runs. A Hayley Greene double down the line came for Marian's first hit of the game, and after Abbey Hoffman and Lily Wendt reached on a single and walk, catcher Raegan Hiatt leveled the score with an RBI walk. Mackenzie Dalton produced an RBI for the Knights on a groundout, and Savannah Harweger recorded her first hit of the year in the following at bat, driving in two runs with a single through the middle. The three-hit frame catapulted Marian into a 4-1 lead.

The score held static going into the bottom of the third inning until the Grenadiers found their bats once more, getting a three base hits and a walk off of Guilliam. The offensive production for IUSE drove in two runs, but the senior pitcher got out of harm's way with two infield groundouts to hold a 4-3 lead. Marian would respond in the top of the fourth with two more runs, as a pair of wild pitches helped score Dalton, while an error by the catcher allowed Anna Pritchett to score later in the inning, giving the Knights a 6-3 lead.

Guilliam held the score in check after the fourth inning stranding a pair of base hits in the home half, and in the bottom of the fifth a one-out double was left to dry as the senior recorded a pair of strikeouts to end her outing. Abby Madere reignited her bat in the top of the sixth inning helping Marian put the game out of reach, as she slammed a three-RBI double into left field, allowing Pritchett, Harweger, and Dalton to round the bases and score for the visitors. Hoffman would add to the lead with a sacrifice fly to score Madere, ending the half inning with a 10-3 Marian lead. 

Macy Coan and Lauren Mayer finished the game in the circle for the Knights, with Coan allowing one run on two hits as she pitched the sixth inning. Madere would drive home Ella Piercy in the top of the seventh to get the run back for Marian, and in the home half Mayer recorded a strikeout while stranding a single to end the game with Marian on top 11-4.

Jaylah Guilliam earned her first win of the year in the circle pitching five innings, striking out three batters. The senior allowed 10 hits, but with timely plays by her defense the damage was limited to three runs in her season debut. Coan and Mayer combined to allow three hits in their relief appearances, with Mayer picking up a strikeout in her time pitching on Monday. Marian had 13 hits in game two, with three coming from Madere's bat. The sophomore led the team with four RBI, and Harweger, Greene, and Hoffman eacn had two hits. Dalton and Hoffman each scored two runs in the win.

The Knights are back in action for their home opener on Thursday, February 29th in a doubleheader against (RV) Indiana Tech with the first pitch set for 2:00 p.m. at MU Softball Diamond.

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