No. 7 Marian Takes Opening Game of Friday Doubleheader Over No. 17 Indiana Wesleyan

INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian softball team scored a ranked win in their opening game of a home twin bill Friday afternoon, defeating Indiana Wesleyan by way of a run-rule in the opening game. Marian would fall in game two, and ended the day with an overall record of 17-3 and a 6-2 mark in Crossroads League play.

Olivia Stunkel brought her best material early Friday afternoon taking on the 17th-ranked Wildcats, tossing a perfect first and second inning as a strikeout closed each of the first two innings. The Knights efforts to provide their pitcher a lead were thwarted in the first inning as two runners were left on, but in the bottom of the second Savannah Harweger drove in a run, as her sacrifice fly pushed home Lily Wendt. 

Marian would leave two runners on as the second ended with a 1-0 lead, and Indiana Wesleyan found offense in response of their defense making a stand as they drove in two runs in the top of the third inning. Trailing on the board for the first time, Marian quickly grabbed the lead back in the home half of the inning, as Abby Madere blasted a single, setting up Sierra Norman who charged a ball over the center field wall for her third home run of the year. Norman's yard call gave Marian a 3-2 lead after three innings, and after Stunkel worked out of a jam in the top of the fourth, Jenna Minnix would come around to score an unearned run after Indiana Wesleyan errors helped Marian add to their lead.

After Stunkel's third flawless frame in the fifth, Marian extended their lead by three runs in the home half, getting a two-RBI single from Grace Meyer to run the team total to six. Two batters later Minnix ripped an RBI single through the left side, driving in the catcher to give her team a 7-2 lead. An error in the top of the sixth would allow Indiana Wesleyan to score a third run, but in the bottom of the inning the Wildcats pitching fell apart, as Brooke Knox, Madere, and Norman all walked to lead-off the inning. Abbey Hofmann ripped a single through the middle to knock home two runs, and after Lily Wendt was drilled by a pitch, back-to-back walks drawn by Meyer and Hayley Greene ended the game with an 11-3 run-rule victory.

Stunkel allowed just two hits as she dominated in the circle, striking out five batters while yielding three runs, two of which were earned. Madere and Norman dominated at the plate as both batter went 3-3 with three runs scored and a walk. Norman's home run was her third of the season, and was Marian's lone extra base hit in the game. Meyer had a two-hit game in the win, driving in three runs. The Knights drew eight walks against the Wildcats in game one, earning 10 total free trips on errors, hit batters, or walks.

Marian would lose a back and forth battle in the second game, as a home run in the top of the seventh inning did the Knights in.

Marian takes on Spring Arbor on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

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