HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Behind a quick three-run first inning and elite pitching from
Macy Coan, the Marian softball team earned a 3-1 victory in its first game of the NAIA Opening Round on Monday afternoon. Marian's win improves the team to 35-16 on the year and advances the team in the tournament's winner's bracket.
Macy Coan set the tone of the game, winning a lengthy 11-pitch at-bat to open the afternoon that resulted in a groundout to short. The junior fed off the early grounder and retired the last two batters in the first on strikes, stranding a one-out single.
The work of Coan inspired Marian's offense in the first inning, as
Abbey Hofmann led the bottom half inning with a walk.
Delaney Rundle then sliced a triple to left-center, bringing home her fellow outfielder to give the Knights a quick 1-0 lead. Marian continued to find hits after the three-bagger, as
Abby Madere slugged an RBI single to right field, and four batters later,
Ally Malone hit an RBI single the same direction, putting the Knights on top 3-0.
The runs would be all Marian needed to get the win, as Coan and the defense brought their best stuff on Monday. The junior retired the Cougars in order in the second and third innings, while in the fourth, a strikeout retired the side after the pitcher gave up a two-out single. Coan returned to form retiring the side in the top of the fifth inning, and in the sixth, she stranded another base hit, keeping a shutout alive entering the seventh inning.
Coan's final inning began with a shock, as she allowed the first lead-off single of an inning in the top of the seventh, but was quickly able to log a groundout. Columbia would tag up on another single to get runners on the corners, but Coan remained strong in the circle. A sacrifice fly would score trade a run for the second out, but Marian was able to end the game quickly with a fielder's choice ground out to shortstop, sealing a 3-1 victory to advance the Knights in the bracket.
Macy Coan starred for the Knights in the win, allowing five hits and one run in her complete-game win. The junior picked up five strikeouts and ended the game with 90 pitches thrown, tossing 63 over the final six innings after a long 27-pitch first frame.
Offensively, Marian had five hits in the win, with
Delaney Rundle going 2-3 with an RBI triple in the win.
Mati Hughes and
Abbey Hofmann drew a walk each, and Madere, Malone, and
Ella Piercy each had one hit.
Marian will return to the diamond tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern to take on top-seed and No. 12 William Carey.
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