INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian softball team closed their week with a pair of home victories, as the Knights scored a Saturday sweep over Spring Arbor with an 8-0 and 7-4 victory. Marian is now 19-3 overall on the season and 8-2 in Crossroads League games.

Game 1 | Marian 8-0 Spring Arbor | 6 Innings
Olivia Stunkel delivered a perfect start for her team on Saturday afternoon, as the pitcher did her job by tossing a clean nine-up, nine-down start through the first three innings. The start from Stunkel allowed the Knights to grab a lead, as the offense pulled in the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning, with a bunt single from Abbey Hofmann leading off the frame. After Hofmann stole second and reached third on a fly out, a double steal play later in the inning allowed Marian to take a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, the offense broke the game open as singles from Jenna Minnix and Savannah Harweger led off the frame. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, and an RBI single from Abby Madere cleared the bases for two runs. A triple from Hofmann two batters later increased the lead, while a Lily Wendt RBI hit closed the inning with Marian on top 5-0.

Stunkel saw her perfect game evaporate in the top of the fourth inning as she faced a bases loaded jam, giving up a double and two walks, but managed to keep the shutout as she stranded all three runners with a strikeout. Stunkel would keep allow two more hits in the top of the fifth after a Brooke Knox RBI double increased Marian's lead, again standing tall as a strikeout left the lead runner stranded at third. Grace Meyer posted an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to give Marian a 7-0 lead, and after Stunkel pitched her fourth perfect frame of the game, an RBI single for Ella Piercy in the bottom of the sixth ended the game with a run-rule 8-0 victory.

Stunkel claimed her 10th win of the season Saturday, as her three-hit performance moved her to 10-0 on the year. The junior pitcher struckout five and walked two in the win. At the plate, Marian put up 13 base hits, with Harweger's three hit game leading the team. Hofmann and Wendt each had two-hit games, and Madere led the team in RBI with two. Marian had nine different players record one or more hits in the game one win.

Game 2 | Marian 7-4 Spring Arbor 
In the second outing of the day, Spring Arbor was able to generate their offense early, as the Cougars roughed up starting pitcher Macy Coan for a pair of runs on four base hits, propelling to an early 2-0 lead. The Knights responded in their first opportunity with a run, getting a lead-off hit from Savannah Harweger, with the fifth-year senior getting into scoring position on a stolen base and sacrifice bunt. After Abby Madere drew a walk, a perfectly executed double steal brought home the Knights first run of the game.

Coan settled in after her rocky first inning with a quick and scoreless second, but in the top of the third faced issues as an error helped lead to an unearned run crossing the plate. Trailing 3-1 entering the home half of the inning, Marian got back in a rhythm as Brooke Knox and Abby Madere earned free passes on base, while a Sierra Norman single loaded the bases. Abbey Hofmann hit into an RBI fielder's choice, and sacrificed herself on the basepath later on to allow Madere to score from third, tying the game 3-3.

After a strong inning defensively in the fourth, the Knights broke the game open in the home half inning with a Hayley Greene single breaking the game open. Pinch-runner Anna Pritchett moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt, setting up Harweger who delivered an RBI single. Three batters later Sierra Norman picked up an RBI with her infield base hit, while Hofmann cleaned up the big inning with a two-RBI blast to center. Marian led 7-3 after the big inning, posting five hits in the home half of the fourth.

The lead would be all Marian needed, as their defense played strong to finish the game. Coan allowed one total base runner over her final six outs of the game, seeing a single get stranded in the top of the sixth. Lauren Mayer came on to close the game in the seventh, who would allow one run on four hits but trusted her defense to make the final three outs, as Marian closed victoriously 7-4.

Marian had 11 hits in their game two win, with Harweger, Norman, and Hofmann each posting a pair. Hofmann led the team in RBI with three, and Madere drew a pair of walks. In the circle, Coan allowed six hits and three runs, two of which were earned. The freshman struckout two batters in the win, moving to 3-1 on the season.

The Knights will continue their homestand on Tuesday, March 26, hosting Bethel University at 3:00 p.m. from the Marian Softball Diamond.

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