Huntington, Ind. - For the first time since 2018, the Marian baseball team has taken a series victory from Huntington, as the Knights swept Monday's doubleheader against the Foresters with 13-3 and 2-1 victories. Marian moves over .500 on the season with the wins, moving to 12-11 overall and 8-4 in Crossroads League play.

GAME 1 | Marian 13-3 Huntington | 8 INNINGS
Huntington struck first Monday, driving in a run off Seth Hogg in the bottom of the first inning to capture the first lead of the day. Marian responded to the run with a big second inning, driving in seven runs in the ensuing half inning. Johnny Roeder drove in the first two runs in the frame with his two RBI single, and Kameron Salazar roped in another with his single to right. Zach Bale finished the dominant inning following Cole McManus' walk to load the bases, as the first baseman hammered a grand slam to right field. Bale's home run gave the team a 7-1 lead, and after Huntington scratched another run off Seth Hogg in the bottom half, the score stood at 7-2.

Hogg dialed in after allow his unearned run in the second inning, shutting out the Foresters in each of the next four frames. The sophomore pitcher allowed just two hits between innings three and six, keeping Huntington off the base paths while the offense would strike again in the fourth and sixth innings. The fourth inning attack was led by Elijah Kelly's lead-off walk, as the shortstop would score on an RBI double from McManus. Bale returned to the plate and repeated his second inning success with his second home run of the game, belting his second of the day for a three-run blast. Marian led 11-2 after Bale's fourth inning home run, and in the sixth inning the lead grew to 10 runs as Max Steffen slammed an RBI single to right-center.

A double play spoiled Marian's chances to add to their lead in the top of the seventh inning, and in the home half Huntington broke Hogg's scoreless streak, as the sophomore hit the lead-off batter. A double and sacrifice fly would allow Huntington to extend the game to the eighth inning, with Marian still on top by nine runs. In the top of the eighth inning, McManus and Josh Lamb were able to get the run back, as the two traded places with doubles in the inning, pushing the lead to 10 runs once more. Seth Risley would come out of the bullpen to finish the game, striking out his final two batters to slam the doors on the run-rule 13-3 victory.

Bale's two home runs headlined the Knights' efforts at the plate, as he went 2-5 with seven RBI in the win. Salazar and McManus each had a pair of hits and one RBI each, with McManus scoring four times in his 2-3 day. Josh Lamb also went 2-5 in the win, and Roeder had Marian's only other multi-RBI performance with two in the win. Hogg (1-3) recorded his first pitching win of the season, as his longest outing of the year featured eight strikeouts and three runs allowed. The sophomore gave up just five hits, and allowed seven men on by either walk, hit, or hit by pitch. 

GAME 2 | Marian 2-1 Huntington
After the high-octane pace in game one, game two belonged to the pitchers, as Damien Wallace and Tyler Papenbrock went toe-to-toe on the hill. The Knights recorded their only two hits of the game in the first inning off Papenbrock, but the base hits by Zach Bale and Josh Lamb went without producing a run, as Cole McManus was gunned down at the plate on the Lamb single. Wallace recorded two strikeouts in the first inning to shake off a hit batter, matching the zero on the board.

Papenbrock took over after allowing his two first inning hits, striking out five Knights over the next two innings. Wallace brushed off a walk with an inning-ending punch out in the second, but in the third a lead-off single would bite the Marian starter. Kade Flores stole second and reached third on a throwing error following his single, putting Wallace behind on the bases as a sacrifice fly would push Flores across the plate. The Marian senior got out of the inning with a strikeout, keeping the game a 1-0 score.

Both teams would put a runner on the in the fourth inning, but the two starters would see to it that no runs scored. After the Knights were retired in order in the top of the fifth inning, Huntington threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, as Flores recorded a one-out double off of Wallace. The hit would end the starter's day, and bring on Jace Stoops out of the bullpen. Stoops immediately ended Flores' time on base by picking him, ending the inning a handful of pitches later on a foul out to the catcher. Stoops and Papenbrock each pitched a scoreless sixth inning, entering the seventh in a one-run game.

In the final inning, Marian took a patient approach on Papenbrock, getting three men on base as the Huntington senior walked both Kameron Salazar and Hector Corona, while Seth Hogg was hit by a pitch. Elijah Kelly followed his teammates lead, drawing a one-out walk with the bases loaded to tie the game, and end the outing for the Huntington starter. Johnny Roeder followed with a walk as Tate Mullens entered, pushing in Nate Pinarski for the go-ahead score. Marian's free bases would end there, as two infield outs ended the threat with the Knights leading 2-1. 

With a lead for the first time, Stoops finished the game with a fury, getting three consecutive fly outs to end the game and complete the Monday sweep, ending the 2-1 victory.

Stoops (3-0) claimed his third win of the season in relief on Monday, throwing 2.2 scoreless and hitless innings of relief. Wallace earned a no-decision, allowing three hits and an unearned run on the day. Bale and Lamb had Marian's base hits in the win, while Roeder and Kelly recorded the only RBI in the one-score win.

Marian returns home in fourth place in the Crossroads League standings while owning the second-most league wins, and hosts Spring Arbor this coming weekend. Friday's game one is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start.

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