INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian softball team cruised to a pair of wins on Tuesday afternoon, as the Knights racked up 27 runs over two games in a sweep of Grace College. Marian won game one 12-4 and the second 15-1, taking two run rule wins to move to 17-3 on the season.

GAME 1 | Marian 12-4 Grace | 5 INNINGS
A dominant first inning fueled the Knights commanding win in game one, as Marian drove home 10 runs in the first inning of the game. Following a scoreless inning pitched by Olivia Stunkel in the top half inning, the Marian offense went to work as each of their first four batters reached base safely. Grace Meyer drove in the first two runs of the game with her single to center field, and following the senior's hit Hayley Greene and Ally Malone followed with back to back doubles. Brooke Knox would walk to join Malone on the bases, setting up Jenna Minnix who hammered the first pitch she saw in the game to deep left-center, leaving the yard for the second time this season. Abbey Hofmann and Anna Pritchett would each single as the inning progressed, bringing Abby Madere's dangerous bat to the plate. The junior outfielder finished the scoring with her own set of fireworks, launching a pitch beyond the center field wall, as her three-run home run capped the 10-0 frame.

Marian was able to put the game on cruise control after jumping out to their 10-0 lead, as Stunkel pitched a scoreless second inning, and gained a run of support on Ally Malone's RBI fielder's choice in the bottom half. Stunkel would leave a pitch on the plate in the third inning for Sami Lemler, who capitalized with a solo home run, but Grace was unable to keep their rally going as the senior pitcher finished her outing with three straight outs. Lily Wendt would record a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning, giving Marian a commanding 12-1 lead. 

Alayna Tesnar was called on in relief of Stunkel over the final two innings, and would allow three runs in the final two innings as Grace produced some late game offense. After allowing the Lancers' fourth run of the game, the freshman reliever stood tall in the circle, getting a strikeout and two ground balls to short to put a bow on the game, sealing the five-inning 12-4 victory. 

Anna Pritchett enjoyed a 3-3 outing in the game one win, scoring three times. Madere and Minnix each had three RBI and two hits in the victory, while Hayley Greene and Grace Meyer each went 2-3 with a double. As a team, the Knights had 13 base hits in the win, scoring 12 runs. Olivia Stunkel (8-0) earned the win in the game, allowing three hits and one run in her three innings of work. Tesnar yielded five hits over her two innings of relief, striking out two. 

GAME 2 | Marian 15-1 Grace | 5 INNINGS
The second game started nearly identical to the first, as Macy Coan got the Knights started with a quick three-up, three-down first inning. In the bottom of the first inning, the offense got rolling with a single from Anna Pritchett, with the outfielder scoring two batters later on Lily Wendt's RBI single. Jenna Minnix drove in two runs with a single to right field, and Ally Malone laid the monster hit of the inning, recording her first career home run to score three runs for the Knights. Marian would continue to attack after the home run, as Abbey Hofmann scored two runs with a double, and Abby Madere singled in a run, putting a stamp on the nine-run first.

Like her teammate, Coan cruised through her next two innings of work, allowing a single in the second inning, while pitching a perfect third. Marian drove in their 10th run on an Ally Malone RBI single in the second inning, and in the bottom of the third Emily Phillips scored two runs with her pinch-hit single. Malone would again strike as she flared an RBI single to left, pushing Marian on top 13-0 after three complete innings.

Katie Lackman pitched a scoreless fourth inning, and in the bottom half Marian tacked on two more runs, as Mystic Means produced an RBI single and Emily Collins scored an RBI fielder's choice. Marian led 15-0 after four complete, coming one out away from a shutout in the top of the fifth inning as Grace slammed a two-out single off Lauren Mayer to produce their lone run of the day. Mayer pitched into a jam as runners stood on second and third, however the junior was able to avoid future harm as she got an inning-ending groundout to complete the 15-1 victory. 

Coan (6-2) picked up win number six on the season, allowing one hit in three innings of work. Lackman pitched a perfect inning, and Mayer allowed three hits in her relief inning. Offensively, 10 Knights had one or more hits, as the team recorded 16 while scoring their 15 runs. Malone had the top game with her five RBI and home run as part of a 3-3 day, and Minnix went 3-3 with two RBI. Lily Wendt and Anna Pritchett each had two hits in the win. 

Marian will resume their league schedule on Friday afternoon, as they open an eight-game road trip at Bethel University. Friday's doubleheader begins at 3:00 p.m.

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