LAKELAND, Fla. - Coming off the program's first-ever victory over a top-five team on Friday night, the Marian baseball team played a pair of competitive games Saturday afternoon, but came up on the losing end twice as No. 3 Southeastern won 5-3 in the opener and 13-3 in a run-rule game two. Marian sits at 5-3 on the season.

GAME 1 | Marian 3-5 Southeastern
In a scheduled seven-inning game one, the Knights put up a strong fight against Southeastern, putting three men on base in the first inning before the Fire ultimately ended the frame. Southeastern returned the heat in the bottom of the first inning, slamming three base hits off Eli Loichinger which resulted in a pair of runs, giving the home team an early 2-0 lead.

After the first inning scoring, the game grew quiet, as neither side touched the plate until the fifth inning. Marian earned base runners in both the second and third innings, failing to get past third base after strong plays by the Fire defense, while Loichinger found a groove and picked up a pair of strikeouts, limiting Southeastern to two total baserunners in the same two innings. Aiden Kerr picked up his pitcher in the bottom of the fourth inning from behind the plate, catching three runners stealing at second base, with the catcher retiring the side after the sophomore hurler allowed a pair of hits and a walk.

Marian was finally able to break its drought in the top of the fifth inning, manufacturing a run as Hector Corona charged a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Nathan Pinarski for the team's first run. Loichinger picked up the offense in the home half and pitched Southeastern into an inning-ending double play to keep the game a one-run affair, and in the top of the sixth inning, Marian tied the game 2-2 on Bradyen Coffey's sacrifice fly. 

With a new game at hand, Marian looked to earn another upset win over the Fire, but their hopes would be quickly extinguished in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Loichinger left a pitch over the plate, resulting in a lead-off solo home run. Southeastern picked up a single and moved the runner to third, causing a call to the bullpen with sophomore Jack Peine coming in the game. Peine would walk his first victim, and on a throwing error by the pitcher, Southeastern scored an insurance run. An RBI single would add a third score to Southeastern's total, giving the home team a 5-2 lead.

In their last chance to tie the game, Marian picked up a one-out double from Tate Bender to help spark a comeback attempt, but the Knights would only get one run out of the effort, as Johnny Roeder's one-out sacrifce fly would score the final run of the game, as the Knights came up short in a 5-3 loss.

Loichinger (1-1) pitched solidly in the loss, tossing 5.1 innings with eight hits allowed and four runs charged against the sophomore. Loichinger recorded three strikeouts in the loss. At the plate, Marian had seven hits, with Landon Sarkey and Tate Bender leading the way in 2-3 outings. 

GAME 2 | Marian 3-13 Southeastern | 7 Innings
In the second game, Marian wasted no time putting a run on the board, as Ty Jarvis found a pitch to rip and delivered a two-out RBI single to in the top of the first inning, providing an early 1-0 lead. Seth Hogg started the game on the mound and was dominant early, logging a strikeout in a scoreless first inning. The scoreless start for Hogg would end in the second inning as the Fire executed a squeeze bunt to score their first run, leveling the score 1-1 after two innings. Hogg would get out of the frame with a groundout, and followed up with a scoreless third inning, keeping the game deadlocked 1-1 as he ended the inning with a strikeout, stranding two men. 

Marian struggled at the plate after the first inning and were retired in order in the second, third, and fourth innings, but finally broke through in the fifth inning, as Judah Hennessy was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Elijah Kelly reached on an error and was able to reach third as the throw went away, seeing Hennessy scamper from first to home, taking a 2-1 lead. Kelly then scored on a Bradyen Coffey RBI groundout, giving the Knights a 3-1 edge.

Hogg protected the lead as he stranded a double in the bottom of the fifth inning, setting up the offense as they looked for more in the sixth. Marian was able to load the bases in the top half of the sixth but came up empty as they sought out insurance runs, allowing the Fire to regain momentum as they were able to bring home a score in the bottom of the sixth inning, making it a 3-2 game. 

Leading 3-2, the Knights would make a pitching change in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Hogg ended his day and Deacon Spencer entered the game on the mound. Spencer, who was making his return to pitching after only seeing time as a position player in the 2025 season, got off to a rough start in his return, loading the bases against his first three batters as he walked two and allowed a base hit. With the bases loaded, Marian made a change for Dylan Holmes, but the sophomore too did not have luck, as he hit three consecutive batters, allowing Southeastern to take a 5-3 lead. Tate Bender replaced Holmes and was able to get a groundout that scored a run, but ran into his own problems, as seven more runs crossed the plate. Cecil Prather ultimately came on in relief to attempt to end the inning, but was unable to get a final out to extend the contest to the eighth inning, as Southeastern picked up a walk-off single to run-rule Marian 13-3 in the series finale. 

Marian's offense struggled in the series finale, as Ty Jarvis had both of the team's base hits in the loss. Hogg picked up a no-decision in the game, allowing two runs and five hits through six complete innings of work. Deacon Spencer (0-1) took the loss on the mound, failing to record an out in his pitching debut this season. Holmes allowed three runs, and Bender allowed five to score, with the freshman picking up two outs. 

Marian returns to Indiana and opens Crossroads League play on Friday afternoon, traveling to the University of Saint Francis for games one and two of the series. 

MUKnights.com: Your online source for Marian Athletics, tickets, multimedia, Knight merchandise, photos and more.