Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Marion, Ind. - The Marian baseball team suffered a pair of defeats in their series-opening doubleheader at Indiana Wesleyan on Thursday, falling 7-0 in game one before losing on a walk-off in game two of a 5-4 score. Marian drops to 8-9 overall and 3-3 in Crossroads League games.

GAME 1 | Mairan 0-7 Indiana Wesleyan
The Marian bats were stymied in game one, as Indiana Wesleyan's Drue Young had a strong performance against the Knights lineup. Marian was retired in order in each of the first three innings as Young carried a perfect game into the fourth inning, where a Kameron Salazar single broke the drought Salazar would reach third on a fielder's choice and stolen base, but a pair of strikeouts kept a run off the board in the fourth.

Marian's starter Logan Drook looked equally impressive on the mound early in the nine-inning contest, as the second-year Knight pitched back to back scoreless innings to open the game. Drook would strand a hit in the walk in the first as a double play came to his aid, while in the second two groundouts and a strikeout boosted his quick frame. In the third and fourth innings, the sophomore would allow one run each frame, as a base hit and two stolen bases allowed a sacrifice fly to drive in one in the third, while in the fourth a two-out double scored the second run. Marian would trail 2-0 after four complete.

Young continued to shut down the Marian offense, as the Knights were retired in order in the fifth inning, while a double play in the sixth helped the home team's cause. Drook would pitch around two base runners in a scoreless fifth inning, but in the sixth the Wildcats were able to put the game out of reach, scoring three runs in the inning. An RBI single drove in the first run off of Drook, and after inheriting a bases-loaded jam, Justin Johnson would allow a two-out single that trickled through the left side to make it a 5-0 game. Johnson would allow another run in the seventh inning after a Jacob Dill single was left on base in the top half, as the game became a 6-0 contest after seven complete innings.

In the Knights' final two trips to the plate, Marian mustered just two base runners with those coming on singles from Salazar and Dill in the top of the ninth, but the offense was unable to keep a rally going as Young completed his shutout outing on the hill for the Wildcats. The Knights would fall by a final score of 7-0 after Indiana Wesleyan plated a run off of Kayden Cain in the eighth.

Dill and Salazar each had two of Marian's four hits in the loss, and Dawson Estep would draw a walk. Drook took the loss on the mound allowing nine hits and five earned runs, pitching 5.1 innings. Johnson would pitch six outs and allowed three hits that scored two runs, and Cain allowed one hit in two-thirds of an inning in his pitching debut. 

Game 2 | Marian 4-5 Indiana Wesleyan
The Wildcats got the early jump on Marian in the first inning in the second game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning as a pair of errors helped two runs score against Chris Adams. Adams would end the inning with a ground out, and then got into form in the second with a four-batter frame. The Knights were able to shake off a slow start at the plate in the top of the third as a Pierson Barnes walk got the team their first base runner, while Caden Mason sent his fellow outfielder to third with a single. Dawson Estep would hit a sacrifice fly to score Barnes, making it a 2-1 game going into the bottom of the third.

Indiana Wesleyan would respond with a run off of Adams in the bottom of the third, as a lead-off single and stolen base would come out on a one-out single. The Wildcats would get a man in scoring position, but a pop up ended the inning to hold the 3-1 score on the board. Adams rebounded in the fourth inning as he picked off a runner at second base to end the inning, and got a pair of runs from his offense in the top of the fifth to tie the game. An error put Kameron Salazar on board following Estep's single, and back-to-back RBI base hits from Josh Lamb and Rylan Huntley tied the game 3-3.

Adams struckout the side in the bottom of the fifth to keep the momentum in Marian's dugout, and in the top of the sixth Marian took their first lead of the day, as Barnes charged an RBI single to right field to score Johnny Roeder. Barnes would eventually move into scoring position, but was unable to score as a double play ended the threat. In the home half, Indiana Wesleyan would score the tying run as an RBI groundout moved the game to a 4-4 draw. 

Marian would be held scoreless in the top of the seventh despite getting two men on base, and in the bottom of the seventh a lead-off walk and sacrifice bunt moved the game-winning run to scoring position at second base. A hard-hit double to the following batter would drive in the final run of the game, as Indiana Wesleyan delivered the walk-off hit to take the win.

Adams suffered the loss on the mound, allowing six hits and five runs, with four earned in the game. Adams pitched seven strikeouts in the loss. Each of Marian's nine batters in the lineup had one base hit, with Lamb, Estep, Barnes, and Huntley each picking up an RBI. 

Marian and Indiana Wesleyan are scheduled to resume the series on Monday in Marion. Game one will begin at 3:00 p.m.

MUKnights.com: Your online source for Marian Athletics, tickets, multimedia, Knight merchandise, photos and more.