HUNTINGTON, Ind. - The Marian softball team suffered a split on Monday afternoon at Huntington University, taking game one before coming up one run short in game two. Marian is 30-6 overall on the season following the results, and hold a 20-4 record against the Crossroads League.

GAME 1 | Marian 9-5 Huntington
The Knights wasted little time jumping on the board in game one, getting a spark from Abbey Hofmann as the sophomore ripped a lead-off home run. The lead-off blast was followed with a base hit from Mystic Means and a two-run home run from Grace Meyer, capping a three-run first inning. Olivia Stunkel worked well with the lead, and recorded three strikeouts in the first inning to keep Marian on track. The senior struggled with command in the second inning, walking two before giving up a two-out base hit that drove in the first Huntington run. 

Stunkel got out of the second inning with an infield pop up, and got the runs back in the top of the third inning as Marian hammered in three more runs. Ally Malone knocked in two runs with an RBI single in the third, while Emily Phillips followed with an RBI base hit of her own to score Emily Phillips. The sophomore Hofmann finished the four-run frame with an RBI base knock to center, scoring Malone to give the Knights a commanding 7-2 lead. 

Huntington would chip away at their deficit in the bottom of the third and fourth innings with timely RBI hits, however in each inning Stunkel remained in control, stranding Foresters on base to hold the lead. Leading 7-4 entering the fifth inning, the Knights grew their lead as Emily Phillips and Brooke Knox recorded an RBI each, pushing in two unearned runs in the frame to extend the margin to five runs. Stunkel shutout Huntington in the fifth inning with a four-batter frame, but would get tagged for a run on two base hits in the bottom of the sixth, making the score 9-5. Leading by four entering the bottom of the seventh, Marian's top pitcher mowed through the Forester lineup, facing four batters before ending the game in a 9-5 victory.

Meyer led the Knights at the plate in the game with a 3-4 outing, hitting a pair of extra base hits as she homered and doubled. Phillips, Means, and Jenna Minnix each had two hits, as did Abbey Hofmann who homered and recorded two RBI. Ally Malone and Phillips each had two RBI in the win. Stunkel (16-0) earned the win in the circle, striking out six in her complete-game victory. 

GAME 2 | Marian 6-7 Huntington
Like game one, Marian wasted no time getting on the board as Abbey Hofmann launched a lead-off home run, doing so for the second consecutive game while becoming the first Knight to accomplish the mark in the 2020's. Marian's scoring concluded in the first inning after Hofmann's home run, and in the bottom of the first inning Macy Coan pitched a three-up, three-down frame to protect the early 1-0 lead.

The lead would be the last held by the Knights, as the Foresters attacked the plate in the second inning and slashed home a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead. Marian was retired in order in the top of the third inning, and in the bottom half the sophomore Coan was roughed with another two hits, allowing one Huntington runner to score. The Knights were able to snap their on-base drought in the top of the fourth as Grace Meyer reached on a single, however the team was unable to tack on base hits behind the senior's one-out knock. In the bottom of the fourth, Huntington extended their lead again as Coan yielded two more runs, with the second crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly as Alayna Tesnar was tasked to get out of the frame.

A two-out double from Huntington in the bottom of the fifth made the game a 6-1 contest, but despite trailing, Marian stayed in the fight as they rallied back in the sixth inning. Brooke Knox walked to lead off the inning, while Meyer followed with a double. Jenna Minnix drove in a run on an RBI single, and with two outs Caroline Roop pushed two runs across with her RBI single to left, making the game a 6-4 contest. Marian's momentum could not carry into the bottom of the sixth, as Huntington expanded their lead to three runs, with a passed ball allowing a run to score.

Trailing 7-4 entering the seventh inning, Marian made one final push as Abbey Hofmann walked to lead off the frame, and scored moments later on an RBI double from Brooke Knox. Knox moved up to third on the play and scored on an RBI groundout from Lily Wendt, making the game 7-6. With two outs to play with, Grace Meyer roped a single to keep the bats alive, however the good luck wore off following the senior's hit, as Huntington forced a pair of infield pop outs to end the game in a 7-6 contest favoring the Foresters.

Marian had 10 hits in game two, and saw Meyer post a three-hit game as she went 3-4 in the loss. Knox doubled twice in a 2-3 game, and Roop went 2-3 at the dish, putting up a team-high two RBI. In the circle, Coan (9-4) took the loss, pitching three-plus innings with five hits and five runs allowed. Alayna Tesnar yielded a run in her two innings of work, and Lauren Mayer allowed one run while pitching the sixth. 

Marian goes on the road Tuesday as they continue a busy week, traveling to Grace College for a 3:00 p.m. twin bill in Winona Lake.

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