INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian softball team eclipsed the 20-win threshold on Tuesday afternoon as they continued their season-long 14-game homestand, sweeping Bethel University on their home diamond behind a combined no-hitter and come-from-behind victory. Marian's pair of wins improves the team to 21-3 overall on the season, while jumping to 10-2 in Crossroads League play.

Game 1 | Marian 12-0 Bethel | 5 Innings
Marian's pitching dominated the first game of the twin bill against the Pilots, as Olivia Stunkel and Jaylah Guilliam pitched their best games of the season. Stunkel started out the first inning on the wrong end of a 3-2 count as she walked lead-off hitter Alyssa Forys, but rebounded quickly to strikeout the side. The Knights offense rode their pitcher's momentum at the plate in the bottom of the first, with a lead-off triple by Savannah Harweger charging the offense. Brooke Knox drove in Harweger with an RBI error on a sacrifice fly attempt, and was followed to second base with Abby Madere's RBI double. Sierra Norman capped the first inning scoring with a two-run home run, capping a four-run frame.

The 4-0 lead more than did Bethel in, as the Pilots were unable to keep up with Stunkel's pitching. The junior struckout the side to bring her 'K' total to six for the game, and in the home half of the second the Knights added six more to the board, scoring all six runs with two outs. Knox, Madere, and Norman loaded the bases on a pair of hits and walk, setting up Abbey Hofmann who delivered a three RBI double. Lily Wendt followed up with an RBI single to score the team's eighth run, and following Grace Meyer's base hit, RBI singles from Hayley Greene and Jenna Minnix pushed Marian's lead to 10.

Stunkel finished her outing with a perfect third inning, striking out the side for the third time in the game, getting a pair of victims to go down swinging. Marian would add another run to their lead as Brenna Fink recorded an RBI groundout, and in the fourth inning they called on Jaylah Guilliam in the circle, who kept the strikeout train going with a first-batter punchout. Marian's defense was utilized for the first time with one out in the fourth as Brooke Knox threw out a ground ball out, while Jenna Minnix made a diving catch in center field to protect the no-hitter.

Marian made the game a 12-0 contest in the home half of the fourth on Mackenzie Dalton's RBI triple, and in the top of the fifth the no-hit bid was completed, as Guilliam opened the final inning with a strikeout. The senior then entrusted her defense two more times, as Minnix made a play in center field and Anna Pritchett ended the game with a catch in left, capping the run-rule no-hitter.

The no-hitter is the first for Marian since 2022, when Sydney Wilson threw a five-inning no-hitter against Judson University. Stunkel earned the win for Marian in the no-hitter, leading the charge with nine strikeouts in three innings, facing 10 batters. Guilliam tossed two strikeouts in her two innings, facing seven batters total as she closed out the team's third no-hitter since 2019. The 10 consecutive strikeouts thrown by Stunkel and Guilliam set a school record for consecutive outs via strikeout.

At the plate, Marian had 15 hits in the win, with Norman, Madere, and Meyer each putting up a pair. Hofmann led the team in RBI with three in the game, and Norman scored a team-best three runs. The Knights had 11 different players record a hit in the win.

Game 2 | Marian 8-3 Bethel
Unlike game one, Bethel was able to post offensive numbers in the second, as starting pitcher Macy Coan gave up a hit in each of the first four innings of the game. Coan would allow a single in the first but got a double play effort from her defense to limit the runners, while in the second her defense helped her escape runners in scoring position unharmed.

The Knights were unable to get their bats rolling in game two as they managed just one base runner in the first three innings, which put the Knights in a deficit in game two after three complete frames. Bethel posted a one-out single from their shortstop Alyssa Forys to lead their charge, while an error allowed Maggie Robbins to reach base. The uncharacteristic mistake allowed Kate Cooper to drive in three runs off the freshman Coan, as the Pilots third baseman delivered a three-run home run to put Marian behind 3-0.

Marian's offense continued to struggle from the plate in innings three and four after the Pilots home run, but in the fifth were finally able to break through after Coan delivered a three-up, three-down frame. Grace Meyer led the rally with a one-out double, while Hayley Greene followed with a single. Jenna Minnix reached safely on a bunt single, and helped score a run as the throw to first ricocheted off of the outfielder's arm, allowing Meyer to waltz home. Savannah Harweger delivered an RBI groundout to keep the scoring going, while Brooke Knox followed with an RBI base hit. Three batters later, Lily Wendt drew a bases-loaded walk to put Marian in front 4-3.

With a lead for the first time in the game, Marian turned the ball over to Lauren Mayer, but the sophomore struggled after recording the first out, allowing three consecutive singles that loaded the bases. The Knights again made a pitching change, bringing Olivia Stunkel back on to pitch, who quickly got a ground ball out. Stunkel went on to finish the inning with a strikeout, escaping harm to keep the lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Marian added insurance runs to their lead, as a Meyer and Minnix singled to put a pair of runners on. The Knights would load the bases as Harweger was walked, and Abby Madere drew an RBI walk two batters later. Norman capped the scoring with a towering double to center field, driving home three runs to give her team an 8-3 lead. With the lead secured, Stunkel made quick work of the Pilots in the seventh, retiring the side in order to close Marian's home victory. 

Meyer led Marian at the plate with two hits as she started the rally charge in both the fifth and sixth innings, and Minnix also had two hits. Norman led the team in RBI with three, as five Knights in total had at least one RBI. Coan recorded her fourth win on the season with five innings completed, giving up two earned runs out of three and seven hits. Stunkel earned the save in her first relief appearance, making five outs with one strikeout in her closing role.

Marian will turn around and host Indiana Tech in their final non-conference games of the season on Wednesday, hosting the Warriors at 3:00 p.m.

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