INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team dropped their first series-opening Crossroads League game of the season on Friday as Grace took the opener 5-2, but Marian rebounded in game two with a 2-1 win to split the outing. Marian moves to 23-20 after the split while holding an 18-12 record in the Crossroads League.

GAME 1 | Marian 2-5 Grace
Grace wasted little time pushing across the first run of the game, as the Lancers were able to chalk up a pair of hits against Davis Enfield in the first half inning, using a Josh Cosme double to capture a 1-0 lead. Enfield got out of the inning with a strikeout, but wasn't able to see his offense find an immediate answer as Evan Etchison held the Knights hitless in the bottom of the first. The second inning went by without a run as Enfield's defense picked up an inning-ending double play to shrug off two hits, while in the bottom half two out hits by Dawson Estep and Hector Corona were left stranded by Etchison.

The third inning proceeded without a score as the starting pitchers each retired the side in order, and in the top of the fourth Enfield continued his string of scoreless innings as the senior retired the side in order as his defense turned two to end the frame. In the bottom of the fourth, Marian pushed across their first run of the day as Kameron Salazar sparked the offense with a lead-off triple, coming in to score two batters later on Max Steffen's RBI hit. Marian would leave two runners on base as the inning came to its eventual end, with Steffen being stranded at third. 

Enfield and Etchison exchanged scoreless fifth innings, but in the sixth, the zeros would fade away as Grace turned in a four-run inning. A one-out home run from Ryan Stark gave the Lancers a 2-1 lead, while a pair of two-out hits saw another run cross the plate. With runners on second and third, Enfield got a ground ball to try and get out of the frame with two allowed, however an error would prolong the inning, seeing two more runs score before the starter threw a strikeout to end the inning. Trailing 5-1 after the top of the sixth, Marian attempted a rally in the ensuing half inning as Salazar slammed his second career home run, as his solo shot to center brought Marian one run closer. 

The Knights were unable to string together a sequence of base runners after the home run, ending the sixth trailing 5-2. Marian's best rally efforts over the final three innings came in the bottom of the seventh as Hector Corona and Elijah Kelly drew consecutive walks to open the frame, however a fly out and pair of strikeouts ended the cry with the freshman stuck at second base. Chris Adams relieved Enfield and pitched the final three innings, throwing one of his best performances of the season as he retired nine consecutive batters, striking out five. In the bottom of the ninth, Nathan Pinarski dropped a two-out single to the outfield off reliever Hunter Schumacher, but a strikeout would end the comeback effort, as the Knights fell 5-2.

Salazar went 2-4 in the loss, scoring both of Marian's runs as he tripled and homered in game one. Steffen finished the game with a 2-4 effort, while Corona reached base three times with a hit and two walks. Enfield (7-3) saw his streak of seven consecutive wins come to an end on Thursday, as he took the loss pitching six innings with eight hits allowed and five runs given up. Adams struck out a team-high five batters in his three innings of scoreless relief.

GAME 2 | Marian 2-1 Grace
Logan Drook was given the ball in game two, and came out firing across the strike zone, fanning a pair of hitters in the top of the first as the scattered a one-out base hit. Marian came back in the bottom of the first and saw Kameron Salazar and Josh Lamb reach base, however a pair of fly outs would keep the Knights on the corners at the end of the inning. Drook continued to pepper the zone as he picked up two more strikeouts in the second, while in the third the junior added another punch out to his belt as he strayed a lead-off double.

Nathan Pinarski had a single stranded in the bottom of the second as the game remained scoreless, but in the bottom of the third Marian was able to bring home the first run as Salazar drew a lead-off walk. The senior stole second to move into scoring position, and two batters after his steal, Dawson Estep delivered an RBI single to give Marian a 1-0 lead. The lead would not stick past the fourth, as a single and two-out triple from Grace in the top of the fourth allowed the Lancers to level the score. Drook brushed off the run with an inning-ending strikeout, keeping the game tied at one run each. 

Drook would finish his outing with a four-batter fifth inning, but was unable to see his team take the lead in the home half as Josh Lamb's lead-off single was left on base as Grace was able to retire the side. Jace Stoops took over on the mound in the sixth and picked up where his teammate left off, retiring the side in order to keep the game knotted at one. Searching for the go-ahead run, Marian gained momentum as Nathan Pinarski was hit by a pitch in the first at bat of the sixth. After Jacob Dill's sacrifice bunt moved the outfielder to second, Kameron Salazar delivered the go-ahead RBI double, scoring his teammate to take a 2-1 lead. Zach Bale and Lamb would reach base after the double to load the bases, however Grace was able to deny Marian of any additional insurance runs, keeping the game a 2-1 score.

Looking to lock down the 2-1 victory, Jace Stoops wasted little time mowing through the Lancers' bottom half of the order in the seventh. The senior struck out his first two victims in the final inning, ending the game on a grounder to Elijah Kelly at short to take the 2-1 victory. 

Stoops (4-1) earned his fourth win in relief with his two innings on Thursday, striking out three in two hitless frames. Drook took a no-decision, allowing four hits and a run while striking out a season-high eight batters. Salazar and Lamb both had a pair of hits in the win, with Lamb going 2-2 with a pair of walks. Salazar and Pinarski each scored a run in the win. 

Marian and Grace will conclude their series on Friday, April 18, with game one of the doubleheader scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Marian's senior day celebration will take place in between games one and two, beginning approximately 15 minutes following the conclusion of game one. 

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