INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team dipped their toes into non-conference play on Tuesday afternoon, returning home from their sweep at Goshen College as the Knights defeated IU-Kokomo 6-2 at MU Ballpark. Marian's win is its ninth consecutive, as the team improves to 14-3 overall on the season.

Kaeb Stebbins got the start for the Knights as the team utilized the bullpen in Tuesday's contest, and pitched three strong innings in his first collegiate start. Stebbins faced the minimum in the first inning as he picked off the batter he gave up a lead-off single to, and in the second, he shrugged off two walks with an inning-ending flyout. The southpaw then ended his outing with a scoreless third inning, logging three quality innings of one-hit ball.

The freshman got support in both the second and third innings before he exited the game, with the Knights scoring one run in each inning. Cole McManus plated an RBI single in the second that scored River Pecina, and in the third, Landon Sarkey recorded an RBI base hit that brought home Nathan Pinarski, giving Marian a 2-0 lead. 

Jack Peine then took over for Marian in the bullpen game, and logged a scoreless fourth inning as he stranded the two runners he hit and walked, and in the fifth, the sophomore picked up a pair of strikeouts as he hung another zero on the board. 

Marian earned three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Brayden Coffey scored the first of the three on a River Pecina sacrifice fly, and Johnny Roeder drove home two with a single through the infield, jumping Marian in front 5-0.

The Knights made their next pitching change in the sixth inning as Deacon Spencer came on, and the reliever recorded his best outing of the season, immediately finding success with a one-pitch groundout, before striking out the next two batters to log a perfect frame. Spencer then retired the side in order in the seventh, carrying a 5-0 lead for Dylan Holmes.

Holmes would allow a Kokomo run to score in the top of the eighth as a lead-off double crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly, but the pitcher kept composed as he stranded a two-out single with an inning-ending groundout. Marian went on to add one more to their total in the home half of the eighth as Nathan Pinarski plated Judah Hennessy with an RBI single, giving Marian a one-sided 6-1 lead entering the ninth.

Aiden Kerr pitched the ninth inning for Marian and ran into a spell of trouble as he allowed two hits and two walks, with the second hit being an RBI ground-rule double. Kerr would remain unfazed as he faced the tying run with the bases loaded, forcing a game-ending groundout to close out Marian's 6-2 victory. 

Stebbins earned the win on the mound, pitching three scoreless innings in his first collegiate start. Peine and Spencer each pitched a pair of scoreless frames in their relief outing, with Spencer picking up a team-best three strikeouts. 

Tate Bender led Marian at the plate with his 2-4 game, and Johnny Roeder had two RBI as he went 1-4 in the game. 

Marian will continue their home stretch of games on Friday, as the Knights host No. 24 Huntington this weekend for four games. Game one on Friday is currently scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

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