Knights Advance Past RV Friends in NAIA Opening Round

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa - Trailing early in the game, the Marian softball team used two big innings to capture a lead over three-seed Friends University in their first game of the NAIA Opening Round, outlasting the Falcons 5-4 to advance in the winner's bracket. The Knights move to 45-7 overall on the season with their win.

Pitching dominated the first inning, as Olivia Stunkel and Riley Wertz locked horns with a mirroring three-up, three-down first inning. The Falcons broke the dent on the board in the top of the second inning, breaking the pattern with a one-out single and walk. Wertz helped her own cause with an RBI double against Stunkel, while a two-out single snuck through the left side of the infield, making it a 2-0 game. Marian tried to manufacture a run in retaliation in the bottom of the inning, but a bunt single from Jenna Minnix would be all the offense could provide.

Stunkel went back to work in the third and brushed off a one-out hit, inspiring her offense with an inning-ending strikeout. Caroline Roop drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the third, and her pinch-runner Mystic Means went to work on the base path in her stead, advancing to third as Abbey Hofmann and Anna Pritchett loaded the bags with consecutive one-out singles. Lily Wendt delivered the tying blow as she punctured the middle of the infield with a two-run single, leveling the score 2-2. Grace Meyer recorded a sacrifice fly to bring home Pritchett, putting the Knights in front 3-2 with the run.

Marian protected their lead in the top of the fourth, and in the bottom half, the offense broke through for two more runs, getting the bases moving with Ally Malone's one-out single. Means would follow with a walk, and with two outs, Abbey Hofmann slammed a single to left field, driving in two runs to increase the lead to three. The Knights led 5-2 after four complete innings.

Stunkel's shutout streak subsided in the fifth inning as Friends rallied back, using a pair of base hits to inch one run closer to the Marian lead. The senior pitcher limited the scoring to one as two ground outs finished off the inning, and in the sixth Stunkel threw a flawless three-batter frame to protect the lead. Wendt and Brooke Knox singled in the fifth and sixth innings as the Knights sought out an insurance run, but were unable to reach home in both instances, as the score stood at 5-3 entering the seventh inning.

In the top of the seventh, the Falcons rallied one final time as they recorded a lead-off single against Stunkel, before drawing a walk two batters later. The senior was able to get a pop-up to inch one out closer to the finish line, but was unable to end the game as Becca Dunn smacked an RBI single through the middle of the infield. Needing one out, Stunkel forced Cadence Magana into a shallow fly ball to center, giving Anna Pritchett a routine catch to end the game in Marian's 5-4 victory.

Marian collected eight base hits in the win, with Hofmann and Wendt each picking up a pair of hits and RBI in the victory. Pritchett finished the game 1-3 with a run scored, and Meyer delivered an RBI sacrifice fly. Stunkel (27-0) continued her undefeated season rolling, as she battled through the heat to earn the victory in the circle. The senior allowed four runs and eight hits, picking up three strikeouts in the win.

The Knights will advance to play either Northwestern, the top-seeded and No. 10 overall in the NAIA, or fourth-seeded Baker University on Tuesday afternoon. Game time is 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

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