Spring Arbor, Mich. - The Marian softball team was swept in a doubleheader for a third time this season and second in the week on Saturday afternoon, as the Knights were unable to leave Michigan with a win at Spring Arbor, falling in game one 7-5 before losing the second outing 1-0 in extra innings. Marian is 22-11 overall on the season, and 14-10 in Crossroads League play. 

Game One | Marian 5-7 Spring Arbor
The Knights struck first in Saturday's opening game, bringing home the first run of the day in the top of the second inning as Mati Hughes grooved a 1-0 pitch out and over the left field fence, taking a 1-0 lead. The Knights plated another run in the ensuing third inning, as Haley Webb's lead-off walk turned into a run after Abbey Hofmann tripled home the catcher, giving her team a quick 2-0 start.

Macy Coan had a good start in the circle, pitching two scoreless innings, but in the third, the game turned on its heels for the Knights. The Cougars slammed three consecutive singles to score two runs as the third inning started, with one run scoring on an error and another off a batted ball. Coan rebounded and picked up two outs, but a late single and triple would score three Spring Arbor runs, putting Marian in a 5-2 hole after three complete innings. Spring Arbor scratched out two more runs in the fourth inning on two doubles and a single, taking the lead to five runs heading into the fifth.

Alayan Tesnar slowed down the Cougars in relief in the final two innings that the home team batted, but it would not be enough to inspire the offense to overtake the lead. Ally Malone singled home Mati Hughes in the top of the sixth inning to cut the game to a 7-3 count, while in the top of the seventh, Delaney Rundle drew a walk to start a late rally. Abby Madere and Mati Hughes followed with singles, as the second base hit drove in a score, and one batter later, Lily Wendt grounded out to score Abby Madere. Marian trailed 7-5 after the RBI groundout, but was unable to bring home the equalizing run, as Alyssa Donaldson flew out to right field to end the game in defeat.

Coan (9-3) suffered the loss in the game, responsible for all seven runs with six scoring as earned. Coan allowed eight hits, but struck out six batters. Tesnar pitched two scoreless innings, allowing two hits in nine batters faced. At the plate, Marian had 10 base hits with Mati Hughes leading the way in her 2-3 game. Hughes had two RBI in the loss. Abbey Hofmann and Delaney Rundle each had two hits for Marian. 

Game Two | Marian 0-1 Spring Arbor | 8 Innings
Game two was defined by the pitchers, as Lexi Smith and Alexyn DuBois locked horns and engaged in a scoreless showdown through seven complete innings. The Cougars threatened in the first inning of the game with two base hits going in the book, but Smith was able to deny Spring Arbor of a score with three consecutive groundouts. Marian managed their first hit of the game against DuBois in the second on Lily Wendt's single with one out, but the Knights were unable to generate a hit behind the senior.

Marian again had a chance to score in the third inning as Abbey Hofmann walked and Delaney Rundle singled, but the pair of base runners with two outs were stuck on base as a fly out ended the frame. Smith would limit the Cougars base running chances in the second and third innings as only one runner reached base, and in the fourth, the freshman hurler stranded a single and hit batter, keeping the game in a scoreless deadlock.

The Knights attempted to score again in the fifth inning as Mallorie Beutel walked ahead of a single from Delaney Rundle, but again the visitors were denied a run, as a pop up with Beutel standing at second closed the inning. Spring Arbor would put runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings, but could not score thanks to the arm of Lexi Smith, as the freshman pitcher denied both opportunities to score. 

The game moved to extra innings deadlocked 0-0, and in the top of the eighth, Marian's first three hitters in the lineup were each retired in order, moving the game to the bottom half. Spring Arbor opened the bottom of the eighth with a double from Summer Ambler, who moved to third after a single and flyout. With two outs and a runner at third, the pitcher DuBois helped her own cause, roping a walk-off single to right field to win the game for the Cougars 1-0.

Wendt and Rundle each had two base hits in the loss, and Abbey Hofmann stole a base after being walked in the contest. Smith (5-4) took the loss in the circle, pitching 7.2 innings of scoreless ball before being walked off. Smith struck out two and allowed eight base hits in the game. 

Marian travels to Goshen on Sunday afternoon for a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader against the Maple Leafs. 

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