MARION, Ind. - After four time changes and two postponements, the Marian softball team finally played its doubleheader at (RV) Indiana Wesleyan on Friday afternoon, splitting the second doubleheader of the season against the Wildcats. The Knights won game one 2-0 before losing 8-6 in game two, as their comeback effort fell short. Marian is 29-14 overall and 21-13 against the Crossroads League. 

Game One | Marian 2-0 Indiana Wesleyan
Pitching dominated in game one, as Macy Coan brought her best against the Wildcats' Avery Toole. Coan stranded a one-out walk in the first inning after Marian was retired in order, while in the top of the second, Toole stranded Marian's first two hits of the game from Mati Hughes and Mallorie Beutel.

Coan fired her second scoreless inning in the second as she held a lead-off double in check with two strikeouts to end the frame, while the junior saw her offense take the lead in the ensuing half inning. Delaney Rundle walked with two outs, and on the first pitch after the free pass, Abby Madere doubled home the freshman and gave the Knights a 1-0 lead.

Marian's starter continued to fire scoreless innings as she limited Indiana Wesleyan to one runner in the third and fourth innings, and in the fifth, the Knights plated a second run to add to the lead, as Lily Wendt plated a run with an RBI fielder's choice. Abbey Hofmann scored the Knights' second run, solidifying the lead for Coan. The junior continued firing scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth innings, and with the Wildcats needing two in the final half inning, Coan forced three consecutive flyouts, locking down a complete-game shutout to close the 2-0 win. 

Abby Madere was Marian's leader at the plate with a two-hit outing, delivering one of two RBI with her third-inning double. Coan (15-3) logged her third complete game shutout in the win, stranding three hits and a walk in her seven innings. The junior retired four batters on strikes in the win. 

Game Two | Marian 6-8 Indiana Wesleyan
The Wildcats made up for the shutout loss in the opener on Friday with a big first inning, scoring five runs against Lexi Smith in the second half inning of the game. Indiana Wesleyan's runs came from three walks, three hits, and one Marian error, putting the Knights in an early 5-0 hole. Smith settled down in the second inning and retired the side in order, but in the bottom of the third, four more base hits helped the Wildcats score two runs, growing the margin to seven runs.

After being limited to one hit through the first three innings, Marian's offense woke up in the fourth inning, getting back-to-back base hits from Delaney Rundle and Abby Madere to spark the team. Lily Wendt knocked in a run on a fielder's choice, and two batters after Wendt, Mallorie Beutel delivered with a two-RBI double, giving the Knights a three-run frame. 

Marian changed pitchers going into the bottom of the fourth and reliever Alayna Tesnar yielded a lead-off home run to Brylee Bilger to see the deficit grow to five runs. Tesnar would get out of the fourth trailing 8-3, but gained help in the comeback effort in the ensuing frame as the offense plated three more. A single from Mystic Means sparked the inning, as she came in to score on Abbey Hofmann's RBI triple, while Hofmann scored later in the inning on a wild pitch. Abby Madere grounded in Delaney Rundle, bringing the Knights within two, trailing 8-6.

The two big innings gave Marian life, but they were not enough to overcome early deficit, as the Wildcats were able to hang on in the final two innings, retiring the Knights in order in each of the final frames to see the game in end in an 8-6 final.

Marian had six base hits as a team in the loss, spread across six different players. Beutel had two RBI in the defeat with her double. Smith took the loss falling to 7-6, allowing seven hits and runs in 3.0 innings. Tesnar allowed four hits in three innings of relief, giving up one run. The Knights' pitching staff managed two strikeouts in the loss. 

Marian will end the regular season on Saturday afternoon, hosting (RV) Saint Francis on the team's senior day. Game one will begin at 1:00 p.m., and following the opening contest, the team will recognize the three seniors, Lily Wendt, Abby Madere, and Lauren Mayer. The Knights will need a victory on Saturday to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Crossroads League Tournament. 

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