Mishawaka, Ind. - Marian and Bethel played a pair of high-scoring games on Saturday afternoon, with the Knights' baseball team taking game one 15-4 before losing the second contest 20-8. Marian is 21-19 on the season and 17-11 in the Crossroads League. 

GAME 1 | Marian 15-4 Bethel | 7 INNINGS
Marian's offense hammered the Pilots in game three of the series, beginning their damaging blows in the second inning as they grabbed a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Jacob Dill. The Knights left three men on base in the second, but in the third saw their bats continue to roll, with Hector Corona knocking in two runs on a base hit to right-center. Dawson Estep singled to bring up Elijah Kelly, with the shortstop roping an RBI single to tack on Marian's lead. Kelly and Estep would later score on a 2-RBI single from Nathan Pinarski, pushing Marian's lead to six runs.

The strong start offensively was more than enough for starter Eli Loichinger, who pitched out of a two-hit first inning, and retired the side in order in the second inning. The freshman was challenged in the third inning as a pair of singles and an error produced a run before eventually getting an inning-ending ground out, and in the fourth Bethel would manufacture another run, as a lead-off walk burned the starter. 

The Knights scored a seventh run in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI fielder's choice from Estep that minimized the run allowed by the freshman in the bottom half, and in the fifth inning the patient Marian bats dented the scoreboard to seal the game. Cole McManus delivered his second home run of the series with a two-run blast, scoring himself and Nathan Pinarski to take a 9-2 lead, and following the home run Zach Bale belted a double. After the double, a string of walks and hit batters ensued, as Marian capitalized on Bethel's erratic pitching. Kelly, Dill, Pinarski, and Kameron Salazar each recorded an RBI on a walk or hit by pitch, while McManus delivered the finishing blow with a two-RBI single. 

The monstrous inning gave Marian a commanding 15-2 lead, and set up Loichinger for a productive final two innings. The rookie scattered a pair of singles in the fifth inning, and in the sixth inning Loichinger struck out the side, stranding two runners to preserve the 15-2 advantage. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Aden Burnside yielded two runs on three hits, getting a pair of strikeouts before ending the game in a 15-4 run-rule victory.

Loichinger (3-1) had a strong day on the hill, throwing six innings with one earned run given up. Loichinger yielded seven hits and three total free passes, striking out six in the game. At the plate, McManus led the way as one of five players with two hits, posting four RBI in the win. Bale recorded two doubles in his 2-3 day with a pair of walks and three runs scored, and Dawson Estep posted two hits with three runs scored. Pinarski went 1-1 with two walks an three RBI in game one.

GAME 2 | Marian 8-20 Bethel
One run minimum was scored in each of the seven innings in game two of Saturday's doubleheader, with Marian striking first with Hector Corona picking up an RBI in the top of the first inning as he reached on an error. Bethel quickly fired back in the home half inning as Damien Wallace surrendered two hits to open the game, allowing the Pilots to tie the score 1-1. The Knights took the lead back in the top of the second inning as Dawson Estep slammed a one-out triple to right field, scoring one batter later on Elijah Kelly's RBI ground out. Marian led 2-1 after the top of the second, but it would be the last time the Knights saw the lead in the game, as Bethel answered with five-run second. 

Wallace allowed five hits and five runs in the bottom of the second that saw Bethel take a 6-2 lead, as the senior yielded three extra-base hits in the inning. Marian called to the bullpen in the third inning to try and minimize Bethel's offense, however Jayson Cottrell and Justin Johnson were unable to slow down the Pilots, as they pushed across four runs in the inning. Trailing 10-2 after three complete innings, the Knights mounted a comeback attempt in the top of the fourth, bringing in four runs in the inning to get back within striking distance. Max Steffen and Cole McManus picked up RBI base hits in the inning while two other Knights crossed the plate, making the game a 10-6 contest.

In the bottom of the fourth, Bethel retaliated with two runs, extending their lead with a two-run home run hit off of Johnson. Marian was unable to dent their deficit in the fifth inning, and in the bottom of the fifth Carter King allowed two runners to score as wild pitches and and an error moved a single and walk around the bases, pushing the game further out of reach. Elijah Kelly would rip a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning, however in the bottom half Bethel put the game to rest, bringing home six runs on Caden Bradley to grow a one-sided 20-7 lead. 

Aidan Bishop picked up the final out of the sixth inning with a three-pitch ground out putting an end to Bethel's day at the plate, and in the top of the seventh Marian would bring home one one final run on Calvin Miller's RBI single, ending the scoring in the 20-8 defeat.

Wallace (1-2) took the loss on the mound, allowing six runs and seven hits in two innings of work. King and Johnson both recorded two strikeouts in their relief appearances, and Bishop was the lone Marian pitcher to not allow a run. Eight different players had a base hit for Marian in the loss, with McManus, Estep, and Kelly each recording an extra base hit with their respective double, triple, and home run. Kelly had a team-high two RBI in the game, and Kameron Salazar went 1-1 with two walks and a run scored. 

Marian finishes a five-game road trip on Tuesday, traveling to IU-Kokomo for a non-conference clash with the Cougars at 3:00 p.m.

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