INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian baseball team played to a Friday split in their return to MU Ballpark, as the Knights suffered a 9-7 loss in game one of the twin bill against Bethel before rebounding to win game two 7-0. Each of Marian's starting pitchers logged double-digit strikeouts on Friday, as the team moved to 27-11 overall on the season and 20-6 in Crossroads League play.

Game One | Marian 7-9 Bethel
Marian scored early and often on Friday, bringing home five runs in the first two innings of the series to take a commanding lead on the Pilots. The first run of the game came home on Landon Sarkey's first inning RBI double, while Zach Bale singled home the outfielder with his two-out single to cap a two-run frame. In the second, Calvin Miller and Ty Jarvis started off the inning with consecutive walks, putting runners in scoring position for Tate Bender, who delivered an RBI single. Judah Hennessy courtesy ran for Jarvis and stole home in the inning, while Bender later stole home on a double steal, giving Marian a 5-0 lead. 

While the offense got off to a hot start, so too did the pitching, as Evan Cooke was dealing early. Cooke struck out the side in the first inning as he stranded a lead-off single, and repeated the formula in the second after allowing a two-out hit and walk. The junior continued the strikeout quest in the third inning as he fanned two batters and caught another looking, recording all nine outs in the game on strikes. Bethel managed to put runners on in the third and continued the trend in the fourth as three consecutive singles brought home the Pilots' first run of the day. Another RBI single after a strikeout would make the game a 5-2 affair, where the score held after Cooke allowed his defense to turn a double play and end the fourth inning.

Cooke again struck out the side in the fifth inning, and in the home half gained the two runs back on the board from Hector Corona, who hammered a two-run home run to right field to give Marian a 7-2 lead. The game seemed to belong to Marian, but in the sixth, the strong play from Cooke faded, as the junior gave up two hits while hitting a batter in the first three men faced in the frame. The starter would get an out, but the pop-up moved Cooke to the bench, as Brady Armstrong came out of the bullpen. 

Armstrong struggled to find the zone early, giving up three consecutive runs, allowing each of his inherited batters from Cooke to score. The Pilots would continue their scoring run as a wild pitch brought a man home, and a sacrifice fly tied the game, as the lead was succumbed in the tied 7-7 game.

Marian's offense would struggle to get in gear after seeing the lead expire, relying on the defense to get holds over the final three frames. Aiden Kerr did just that as he took the mound in the seventh, retiring the side in order to carry the game, but in the eighth inning, the freshman reliever saw a two-out walk and double burn the team, as Bethel took a 9-7 lead on Anthony Cimini's base hit. Marian went down in order in the eighth, and in the ninth, attempted a rally with two outs as River Pecina and Hector Corona singled, but the game soon ended as Zach Bale grounded into a fielder's choice, seeing the Knights fall 9-7.

Tate Bender, River Pecina, and Hector Corona each had two base hits in the loss, with Corona carrying a team-high two RBI with his home run. Cooke retired a career-high 13 batters on strikes in his no-decision, allowing nine hits and five total runs in 5.1 innings pitched. Kerr (1-2) would suffer the loss in the game, pitching three relief innings with two runs and three hits allowed. 

Game Two | Marian 7-0 Bethel
Marian continued to ride their strong starting pitching in game two, as Chris Adams followed Cooke's big outing with one of his own, stranding a walk in the first inning as he picked up two strikeouts. Adams then struck out the side in the second inning as he held a pair of walks on base, and in the home half, his battery-mate gave the Knights a 1-0 lead, as Aiden Kerr blasted a solo home run to center.

Adams grinded through the third inning as his fourth strikeout of the game helped strand two runners, while in the fourth, the fifth-year senior was tested as two singles and a walk loaded the bases. The senior stayed strong on the hill, picking up consecutive strikeouts to get one out away from stranding the bases. With two outs away, Adams forced a fly out to Nathan Pinarski in right field, ending the inning with a 1-0 lead.

Marian rode the momentum from the flyout into the bottom of the fourth, staying disciplined at the plate as the team drew three consecutive walks to lead off the inning. Johnny Roeder followed the 12 balls with a first-pitch double after a mound visit, roping home two runs to extend Marian's lead. Elijah Kelly followed up with a two-run single, burning the infield to give the Knights a 5-0 lead. Kelly would later come in to score on an error, and Bradyen Coffey brought home Nathan Pinarski on a sacrifice fly, giving Marian a 7-0 lead.

Adams returned in the fifth inning and worked a quick inning, extending his outing as he notched a strikeout in a scoreless frame. The senior would strike out two more in the sixth, carrying the shutout into the seventh inning. In the final frame, Cecil Prather came on in relief to close out the win, getting a strikeout as part of a five-batter scoreless frame, locking down the win with a foul out to Kerr behind the plate, ending the 7-0 victory.

Chris Adams (6-2) picked up the win after 6.0 scoreless innings, combining with Cecil Prather for their first shutout of the season. Adams struck out 11 batters in the win, and allowed just four hits in his outing. At the plate, Marian had five hits, with Roeder and Kerr notching the team's extra base hits with their respective double and home run. Roeder and Kelly each had a team-best two RBI in the win. 

The Knights and Pilots will complete the series on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. on Marian's Alumni Day weekend.

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