Viera, Fla. - The Marian softball team snapped back into the win column on Thursday evening, as the Knights defeated Bismarck State College by a final score of 7-3. Marian's win advances the team's record to 6-1 overall on the season.

Marian got another strong outing from sophomore Alayna Tesnar, as the second-year Knight began her fourth start of the season with a perfect three innings of work, picking up four strikeouts in her first three innings. The offense backed up the pitcher early as Mallorie Beutel drove in two runs in the first inning, charging a single to right field to score both Abby Madere and Lily Wendt. 

Tesnar would fire another strikeout in a perfect fourth inning as she faced the minimum through four, and with two outs in the next half inning, Marian struck big for four runs. An Alyssa Donaldson double led off Marian's big inning, and one batter after Alex Kiemeyer was hit by a pitch, Karly Anderson delivered an RBI single to drive home the designated player. Abbey Hofmann followed with an RBI double to center field, and after a pitching change, Mystic Means plated two runs with an RBI base hit of her own. Means' two-run single gave the Knights a 6-0 lead.

Marian's pitcher continued to groove as she again logged a strikeout in a scoreless fifth inning, and in the home half, the Knights were able to manufacture a run as Delaney Rundle scored the team's seventh run. Tesnar would lose her no-hit bid in the sixth inning as she allowed a lead-off single, but the sophomore managed to keep her shutout alive as she stranded two runners with a pair of pop-outs and a groundout. In the seventh inning, the Mystics were able to rough the Knights' starter for three runs as they produced three base hits, but Tesnar was able to limit the damage to three, ending the game with a strikeout to close the team's 7-3 victory. 

The sophomore Tesnar (4-0) remained strong in the circle as she collected her fourth win of the season, pitching a career-high eight strikeouts in the win. Tesnar allowed four hits and three runs, two of which were earned, and one walk in her fourth start of the season. 

At the plate, both Abbey Hofmann and Mystic Means went 2-3 to lead the team, with Means and Mallorie Beutel recording a team-best two RBI each. 

Marian also played the Czech Republic National Team on Thursday night in an exhibition contest, playing a tight one-run game in the program's final exhibition game of the season. 

The Knights have two days of games remaining in Florida, playing twice on Friday against Mount Vernon Nazarene, opening up Crossroads League play at 11:00 a.m.

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