MARION, Ind. - In one of the team's best games of the year, the Marian baseball team suffered their toughest day, as the Knights were eliminated in the Crossroads League Tournament by Huntington, as a play at the plate ended the season in a 4-3 defeat.

Logan Drook got the ball in the elimination game and overcame early hurdles in his outing as three men reached at different times in the first inning, but the junior was able to remain in control and get an inning-ending flyout to keep the Foresters off the board. Drook walked the lead-off man in the second inning, but again remained calm on the hill, as a strikeout helped the starter record three consecutive outs to end the inning.

Offensively, Marian got off to a great start in the first inning as the team loaded the bases on walks drawn by Hector Corona and Max Steffen, while Zach Bale recorded the first hit of the game. Despite the bases-loaded opportunity, Marian came up empty in plating a run, entering the second inning scoreless. The tie would break in the bottom of the second inning, with the Knights gaining their first run of the day on a two-out solo home run from Elijah Kelly. Marian's 1-0 lead didn't stick long, as Huntington tripled to lead-off the third inning on a misplayed ball in left field, scoring their first run on a groundout to Kelly at shortstop.

Kelly recorded all three defensive outs in the third, but in the home half, Marian was unable to plate a run with Zach Bale's double, as the Knights entered the fourth tied at one. A solo home run for Huntington in the top of the fourth inning put Marian in the trail position, as Drook yielded his second run, but the junior was able to hold the game at a single run as he stranded a pair. Marian would roar back in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2, getting a tying RBI single from Kelly as he scored Nathan Pinarski. One inning later, the Knights took a 3-2 lead as Dawson Estep recorded a sacrifice fly, driving home Zach Bale. 

Drook was challenged in the top of the fifth inning and exited the game after yielding a single and walk, seeing Damien Wallace enter the game in relief for the first time since February. Wallace immediately forced a foul out to the catcher, while getting an inning-ending double play to keep Huntington off the board. In the top of the sixth, the senior was unable to keep the Forersters off the bases, allowing a walk and double that turned into the tying run. Wallace got out of the jam and stranded the go-ahead run at third, seeing the game enter the bottom of the sixth tied at three.

Both Wallace and RJ Anglin pitched scoreless seventh innings, and in the eighth inning Marian turned the ball over to Jace Stoops. Stoops allowed two men to reach base, but forced three quick pop-outs to end the frame. In the home half the Knights got a base runner from Kameron Salazar on his two-out single, but a groundout spoiled the rally. With the game tied in the top of the ninth, Stoops left a pitch available for Deklan Thompson, with the Forester hitting a lead-off home run to give Huntington a lead. Stoops would get into trouble as the inning progressed as a two hits and a walk loaded the bases, but the senior pitcher atoned for his play as he turned an inning-ending triple play, catching a safety squeeze bunt to end the inning.

Down a run entering their last trip to the plate, Marian got a lead-off double from Zach Bale, giving the Knights a tying runner at second base. Deacon Spencer pinch-ran for Bale, and took third on a ground out from Josh Lamb. With the tying run 90-feet away from plate, Marian went aggressive on Hector Corona's fly out to right, as Spencer dashed for the plate. On the play, Spencer came up short of home, getting tagged out on the play following a strong throw from Thompson in right, ending the game on a season-ending double play.

Bale was a perfect 4-4 at the plate in the loss, doubling twice in the game while also being walked once. Salazar and Kelly each had two hits in the loss. On the mound, Logan Drook did not factor into the decision, allowing five hits and two runs in four-plus innings. Damien Wallace recorded nine outs and allowed one hit and one run, and Stoops (5-2) took the loss, allowing four hits and the game-deciding run in the top of the ninth inning.

Marian's season concludes with a 24-28 overall record in Todd Miller's first year as the head coach of the Knights. 

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