INDIANAPOLIS - Backed by a pair of strong pitching performances by Jayson Cottrell and Chris Adams, and a strong offensive output in game one, the Marian baseball team swept their Saturday doubleheader against Bethel. Marian's wins move them to the 20-victory threshold for the season, as the Knights are 20-17 overall and 15-11 in the Crossroads League.

Game 1 | Marian 10-1 Bethel
Saturday's opening game belonged to the pitchers, as Logan Drook and Frank Plesac battled in the first two innings of the game. Drook tossed a perfect first inning which featured a strikeout, while striking out a pair of batters in the second inning as he kept a hitless start. Plesac stranded a Josh Lamb single in the first inning, but in the second inning was unable to keep a scoreless match to his counterpart as Pierson Barnes launched a solo home run to center field.

Bethel responded to Barnes' solo shot in the third inning as a lead-off walk to Jordan Landkrohn put the first man on in the frame. Landkrohn stole second and then advanced to third on a error, scoring two batters later on a sacrifice fly as Drook allowed an unearned run. The second-year Knight ended the half inning with the game tied 1-1, but saw the lead come back as Marian scored four runs in the home side. Caden Mason led the inning with a double and scored on Rylan Huntley's RBI single. Bryce Davenport drove home Lamb with an RBI single, and the fireworks went off once again as Barnes stepped to the dish, sending a deep shot to left field for his second home run of the game.

Marian's big inning put the team on top 5-1, taking the lead for good over the remainder of the game. The Knights were forced to make an early call to the bullpen in the fourth inning as Logan Drook exited with an arm injury, bringing Jayson Cottrell into the game. Cottrell inherited two runners at the time of Drook's departure, but immediately left the inning as his catcher Max Steffen picked off a runner, while the southpaw picked up two strikeouts. Lamb added an RBI single to his statline in the home half to end the inning, capturing a 6-1 lead.

Cottrell controlled the game over the final five innings of the game, as the reliever allowed just two base hits, both of which came in the fifth inning. The lefty pitcher exited the frame unharmed, and after picking up two strikeouts in the sixth saw the lead grow again, as Huntley, Lamb, and Davenport each picked up an RBI in the home half inning. Cottrell would retire the side in order in each of the final three innings after his offense captured a 9-1 lead, and gained another run in the seventh on Caden Mason's sacrifice fly, as a looking strikeout capped the 10-1 victory.

The southpaw Cottrell stole the show, throwing six scoreless innings of relief, moving to 5-1 on the season with his outing. Cottrell struckout seven batters, and allowed just two base hits in the win. Drook did not factor into the decision, pitching three-plus hitless innings, allowing an unearned run against four strikeouts. 

At the plate Marian had 14 base hits, with Davenport going 3-5 with two RBI. Huntley and Lamb each had two hits and two RBI, and Barnes finished with three RBI, all coming on his two home runs. Mason Also had two hits in the win.

Game 2 | Marian 5-4 Bethel
Bethel looked to wash the loss out of their mouths early in the second game, slashing a run against Chris Adams in the first inning as a one-out walk came in to score with two outs. Adams responded in the second inning as he picked up two strikeouts, shifting momentum to his offense, as Bryce Davenport led off the home side with a double. Pierson Barnes added an infield single, and two batters later Max Steffen recorded an RBI groundout to level the score. 

Marian's top starter continued to roll after his strong second inning, coming out of the third inning with a perfect frame that saw two strikeouts, while Adams' fourth inning stranded a two-out single. The Knights' offense would get rolling again in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Barnes and Steffen walked to get the base running ignited. Johnny Roeder doubled down the left field line to bring in his fellow outfielder, and two batters later Rylan Huntley roped a two-RBI single to right-center to put Marian in control with a 4-1 lead.

Adams worked out of a jam in the fifth inning as he stranded two base hits, with his offense adding another run in the home half on a Dawson Estep RBI double to increase the lead to four runs. A flyout to each of the three positions in the outfield got Adams out of the sixth inning as he stranded two walks, but in the seventh inning the redshirt-sophomore would not see the same success. After getting two outs around a walk, the four-ball bug got to Adams, as he walked three consecutive batters, bringing in Bethel's second run. Deacon Spencer was called upon to finish the game and clean up for the starter, and did so after allowing a two-run single, getting a flyout to right field to cap the 5-4 victory.

Despite the late inning struggles, Adams was strong on the mound, giving up just four hits and four runs. Adams would walk seven batters, but struckout seven as he earned his third win on the season. Spencer recorded his fifth save, throwing the final out of the game. At the plate, Huntley was a perfect 3-3 with two RBI, claiming three of the team's seven hits. Davenport, Barnes, Estep, and Roeder each had one hit, with all but Barnes' going in the book as a double. 

Marian and Bethel will resume the series on Monday afternoon, playing game three of the series at 1:00 p.m. The ISC Sports Network will be on hand Monday to cover the action.

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