No. 10 Marian Topples No. 19 St. Thomas

Viera, Fla. - The Marian softball team won their first game of their Tuesday action against No. 19 St. Thomas University, taking down the Bobcats 5-2 in their first ranked matchup of the season. The Knights are 5-0 after their win.

Marian wasted no time pouncing on the Bobcats, as the Knights took advantage of a pair of first inning miscues. Both Brooke Knox and Abby Madere reached on errors to spark the bases, and after Abbey Hofmann reached on a fielder's choice, Lily Wendt delivered a timely two-out base hit to score a pair of runs. The 2-0 lead was protected by Olivia Stunkel and the Marian defense, as the Knights worked out of a double in both the first and second innings to hold their edge.

In the third inning the Knights tacked on two more runs, with Hofmann and Wendt trading places on back to back doubles. Hofmann's hit knocked in Grace Meyer, who scored from first after reaching base on an error. The two runs pushed the Knights in front 4-0, but their lead would be challenged in the home half of the fourth inning as St. Thomas was able to strike back. Stunkel was able to pick up two outs that surrounded a double and infield single, aiming to get out of the inning unscathed. A two-out walk would change that approach, as the Bobcats scored two on an base hit that went deep into the hole at shortstop. Stunkel was able to claw back and get out of the inning with a fly out to center, keeping Marian in front 4-2.

Stunkel faced adversity again in the bottom of the fifth inning as she looked to protect the lead, giving up a pair of hits to two of the first three batters in the inning. The Bobcats would get two runners in scoring position, but saw their threat end as Hayley Greene gunned down a runner at the plate to pick up the second out, while a strikeout closed the inning with the lead at hand.

The Knights looked for insurance in the sixth inning, getting it on a one-out single from Abby Madere. The hit scored Ally Malone, who earlier in the inning reached on a single. Leading 5-2, Marian's bullpen closed down the final six outs of the game, with the first three coming from Katie Lackman as she worked the sixth inning. Lackman allowed two singles before settling in, and in the seventh inning Lauren Mayer picked up a strikeout to record her first out, before entrusting her defense to pick up the final pair of batters to seal the 5-2 win.

Stunkel moved to 3-0 on the season with the win, allowing two earned runs and seven hits as she recorded three strikeouts. Wendt led Marian at the dish, going 2-4 with three RBI, ripping a double in the win. Hofmann recorded a double and RBI in her 1-4 outing, scoring once. Lauren Mayer recorded her second save of the season after working the seventh inning of the game.