Marian University Ind.

Spring Arbor, Mich. - After taking a lead in the top of the ninth inning, the Marian baseball team suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Friday afternoon, as No. 1 Taylor rallied with two outs to score a pair of runs and walked off the Knights 3-2. Marian was eliminated from the Crossroads League Tournament with the loss, sliding to 35-16 overall on the season.

Pitching dominated Friday afternoon's game as the Knights' Evan Cooke and the Trojans' Wes Hunt battled in a contest that kept Marian's CL Tournament hopes alive. Both Hunt and Cooke allowed a runner to reach base in the first and second innings, as the Taylor pitcher walked a pair and the Marian hurler allowed two hits, but no damage came from either frame. Hunt retired the Knights in order in the third, and in the home half, Cooke fired another scoreless inning after stranding a two-out single, striking out the side to keep the game 0-0.

Marian's bats started to wake up in the fourth inning, as River Pecina gave the team life by drawing a lead-off walk. Pecina took second on a wild pitch immediately after reaching first base, and one throw later, the outfielder reached third on Hector Corona's sacrifice bunt. Zach Bale finished the small ball attack with an RBI single, giving Marian a 1-0 lead.

Cooke kept the lead intact after a fourth inning that saw two Trojans reach base, but after Taylor's reliever, Nathan Frady, retired the Marian side in the top of the fifth, the junior pitcher saw the lead evaporate. The righty Cooke picked up two early outs with a strikeout and groundout, but allowed a one-out single to keep Taylor alive. A wild pitch advanced Luke Sutter to second, and the inning continued with Brayden Manning and Jordan Malott each roping a single off Cooke, with the latter tying the game 1-1. 

The game remained tied as Cooke finished his outing in the sixth inning, battling through a pair of errors in the bottom half that saw Taylor get the go-ahead run to third base. A strikeout would end the inning, and in the seventh, the junior's reliever, Kaeb Stebbins, logged a fast scoreless inning to move the game into the eighth. 

Stebbins retired the side in order in the eighth inning to hold the game in its deadlocked position, and in the top of the ninth, the Knights gained a spark from River Pecina. The speedy outfielder reached base on a throwing error, and looking to continue the small ball approach, Hector Corona moved the go-ahead run to second on a bunt single. Cole McManus delivered a pinch-hit sacrifice to put Pecina in scoring position, ending the day for Frady with the go-ahead run at third. Tate Bender hunted the first pitch tossed by new pitcher Nick Crabtree, reaching on a fielder's choice as Pecina was able to go home safely and provide a 2-1 lead. 

Marian was unable to add to the lead despite two runners remaining on base in the top of the ninth, turning the game to its defense to lock down an upset. Stebbins began the ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts to the first and third batter faced, but walked the pinch-hitter Rylee Singleton, putting the tying run on. A balk called by the umpires allowed Taylor's tying run to reach second, while an error off of Luke Sutter's bat scored Jace Schrock, tying the game. Taylor continued to rally as Sutter stole second, coming home to score on a Brayden Manning single, walking off Marian 3-2 in the Crossroads League Tournament. 

Marian had three base hits in the loss, with Brayden Coffey, Corona, and Bale each recording one. Pecina scored both of Marian's runs in defeat. Evan Cooke had a strong day on the mound, recording a no-decision as he pitched 6.0 innings, yielding one run and seven hits while striking out seven. Stebbins (5-1) suffered his first collegiate loss, allowing one hit and two unearned runs, all in the ninth inning. Stebbins struck out four in relief. 

The Knights will now turn their attention to the NAIA Selection Show, as the team will wait to see if they earn an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament. The NAIA Selection Show airs on Wednesday, May 6, at 5:00 p.m.

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