Winona Lake, Ind. - The Marian Softball team split their Crossroads League Opener, with Marian winning game one against Grace before falling to the Lancers in game two. Marian is now 12-2 overall on the season, and 1-1 in the Conference.

Game 1 | Marian 10-2 Grace | 5 Innings
Marian took the early jump against Grace in game one, scoring three runs. As Savannah Harweger scored the first run of the day off of Abby Madere's deep double into center field. Lily Wendt hit a double deep into the same area as Madere allowing her to score the second run for the Knights. With Grace Meyer singling into left field Wendt took the chance and scored the third run of the inning for the Knights to bring the score 3-0.

Harweger was able to score her second run of the game on a wild throw from Grace's third base starter Tia O'Connor. Sierra Norman got her hand in the mix hitting a two-run bomb deep past left field allowing Madere to score her second run of the day to bring the score 6-0 at the middle of the second inning.

Abbey Hoffman continued the batting streak for the Knights with a single deep into center field allowing Meyer to score a run for Marian. Going into the middle of the third inning the Knights continued to increase their lead to 7-0 against the Lancers.

After two scoreless innings for the Knights defense the Lancers were able to score their first run of the game on a dropped fly ball to bring the score 7-1 at the end of the third inning.

After a scoreless fourth inning for both sides the Knights got the bats rolling once again with Brooke Knox singling up the middle to allow Hayley Greene to score her first run of the day. Hoffman was able to score her first run of the day with the help of the Lancer's missed catch, which also allowed Knox to advance to third. Harweger hit a single into right field during her at bat allowing Knox to score her first run of the game.

The Lancers continued to push at the Knights lead with Kaitlyn Seagrave tripling into right-center, to eventually score on a wild throw to bring the final score 10-2 to secure the Knights win in five innings.

Harweger led the team in hits with three while also scoring two runs and tallying one RBI. Madere, Meyer, Hoffmann, and Knox all had two hits with, Norman and Wendt each having one to total the 13 hits the Knights gained. In the circle Olivia Stunkel pitched for four innings only to give up one hit and one run while striking out two batters. Lauren Mayer got her time in the circle pitching the last inning only to give up one hit and run and struck out one batter.

Game 2 | Marian 0-8 Grace | 5 Innings
Coming off of the game one loss Grace took the lead early in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs in the inning off of the Knight's starter Jaylah Guilliam. Guilliam would get out of the inning with a fly out to left-center and a swinging strike out.

After a scoreless inning for the visitors, Grace would get the bats swinging again to score four more runs in the bottom of the second to bring the score 6-0 in favor of the Lancers. Macy Coan got her time on the circle after the home teams third run of the game was scored. Coan got out of the inning with a pick-off on third, and two ground-outs.

Coan would settle in to pitch a scoreless third inning against Grace. In the bottom of the fourth inning the Lancers would get the bats rolling once again to gain two more runs before the Knights switched Katie Lackman into pitch to finish up the inning with Madiso Gainey getting thrown out at home and a fly out to left field.

The Knights were not able to get on the board in the fifth inning to end the game 8-0 with the lost against Grace.

Madere went 2-2 and was able to get two of the four hits the Knights tallied in game two, with Harweger and Caroline Roop tallying the other two. In the circle, Guilliam took the loss with striking out one batter, while Coan also struck out one.

The Knights will be back in action on March 15, at home to take on The University of Saint Francis. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.

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