INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team pushed their season-long win streak to six games on Wednesday afternoon, as the Knights closed out an 9-3 non-conference victory over Lourdes. The Knights win improves their season record to 9-10 overall.

Marian yielded an unearned run in the first inning as Seth Risley made the start, but the senior got the support back in a hurry as his offense plated three runs in the home half. Johnny Roeder ignited the offense with a lead-off triple, and came scoring moments later on a Zach Bale RBI single. Cole McManus crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and a Hector Corona double cashed in the third run, as Bale coasted in from third base. Risley finished his outing on a high note as he threw a quick second inning, ending his day with a strikeout.

Aden Burnside took over on the hill in the third inning, easing into his relief appearance with a three-up, three-down third inning. Marian scratched out a run in the home half of the third to extend the lead with Seth Hogg hitting an RBI groundout, and in the fourth inning Burnside escaped trouble by stranding two runners with a strikeout to close his outing. The Knights pushed their lead to five runs with their efforts in the bottom of the fourth, scoring a run on an RBI single from Roeder, with Elijah Kelly scoring on an error on the play. Cole McManus roped a sacrifice fly to push in his fellow outfielder Roeder, putting the Knights in command with a 7-1 lead.

The bullpen finished out the final five innings of the game on a high note, allowing just two runs over the final 15 outs. Caden Bradley pitched a four-batter frame in the fifth inning, and in the sixth inning Hunter Reagan picked up two strikeouts, stranding an error and a walk. Zach Bale added one more to the Knights' total in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI single, pushing the lead to seven runs.

Lourdes scratched out runs in the seventh and eighth innings, scoring on off Justin Johnson in the seventh and the other off Jack Peine an inning later. Marian's scoring capped in the bottom of the eighth inning on Zach Bale's fourth hit of the game, this an RBI double that scored Zeke Bonilla. Brady Armstrong finished out the game on the mound, completing the win with a game-ending double play to cap the 9-3 victory.

Bale dominated at the plate in the win, going 4-5 with a double and three RBI. Roeder and Max Steffen each finished the game with two hits, while Roeder and Cole McManus each scored two runs. Marian collected 14 hits as a team in the victory. On the mound, Seth Risley picked up his first win of the season, throwing two innings with one hit and one unearned run allowed. Burnside threw two scoreless innings, while Bradley and Reagan each pitched a scoreless frame. Each of Marian's seven pitchers struck out at least one batter on the day. 

Marian will resume Crossroads League action this weekend, traveling to Huntington on Friday and Saturday. The first game of each doubleheader is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start.

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