INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian softball team sweept the Huntington University Foresters, with a score of 9-7 in game one and a score of 10-2 in five innings of game two. Marian is now 16-2 overall and 5-1 in the Crossroads League

Game 1 | Marian 9-7 Huntington
Olivia Stunkel got the ball in game one, and worked through a few first inning struggles with a one-out double into right field allowed the Foresters to score the first run of the game. Stunkel would finish out the inning leaving one runner on base to keep the score 1-0 in favor of Huntington at the end of the first. 

After two back-to-back scoreless innings for both sides the Foresters got on the board once again with a back-to-back double and single to bring in the second run for the Foresters.

The Knights offense picked it up in the bottom of the fourth with Brook Knox and Abby Madere having consecutive doubles to allow Knox to score the first run for the Knights. Madere followed up quickly with a run scored on Lily Wendt's ground out to second to bring the score 2-2 at the end of the fourth. Marian started to get the bats rolling in the next inning with Abbey Hofmann doubling into right center to allow Madere and Knox to score their second runs of the game. With Wendt's single up the middle Sierra Norman was able to advance to home to increase the lead. Hayley Greene, and Brenna Fink took advantage of a walk and a hit by pitch to allow Hofmann and Emily Phillips to score two more runs for the Knights. Savannah Harweger ended out the inning with a sacrifice fly to allow Green and Grace Meyer to score two more runs to bring the score 8-2.

Huntington pushed back at the Knights lead with two runs scored off a double into left field in the top of the sixth. The Foresters continued to decrease the lead due to a single into right center to allow for Kasey Hickle to score. Huntington hit a sacrifice fly into right field to allow for another run to cross the plate. Due to a error by third base Nigella Reck was able to advance and Bree Hines of the Foresters to score the final run of the game to bring the score 9-7 to secure the win for the Knights. 

The Knights had seven hits in the game, with Brooke Knox, Abbey Hofmann, and Lily Wendt all led the team with two hits each, and Abby Madere had one hit to contribute. Olivia Stunkel had three strike outs on the day to go with the win. Lauren Mayer got her first save of the season and had one strikeout in her single inning pitched. 

Game 2 | Marian 10-2 Huntington | 5 Innings
In Game two Marian took no time getting the bats rolling in the bottom of the first inning with four runs scored, by Harweger, Knox, Madere, and Norman all crossing the plate to get the Knights on the board. With bases loaded and only one out on the board Harweger hit a grand slam deep into center field during her second at bat to allow for, Jenna Minnix, Meyer, and Wendt to tally up a run along with her to bring the score 8-0 after the first inning. 

The home team continued their hot streak with Madere scoring on Hofmann's infield single in the bottom of the second. In the bottom of the third Minnix took advantage of a bad throw by the Foresters to score a run for the Knights to bring the score 10-0 going into the fourth inning. After a scoreless inning for both sides Huntington attempted to decrease Marian's lead with a run scored off a double into right field and a second run scored off of a single to third to bring the final score 10-2 to secure the pair of wins for the Knights in five innings. 

The Knights had 10 hits in the win with Harweger, Knox, and Madere all tallying two, and Norman, Hofmann, and Wendt adding to the total with 1 each. Harweger lead the team in RBI's with four from her grand slam in the first inning. Jaylah Guilliam had two strikeouts with the win, while Katie Lackman had one in her soul inning pitched.

Marian will be back in action on the road Tuesday March 19th aginst Goshen College with the first pitch set for 3:00 pm. 

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