(MARIAN RELEASE)
Mocksville, N.C. - Fueled by the strong arms of Tanner Simpson and Noah Sackenheim, and the powerful bat of Dion Wintjes, the Marian baseball team began their season with a sweep of Carolina University on Saturday afternoon. Marian won the first game of the season 8-4, before taking a 7-5 game two from the Bruins. With the two wins, Marian begins the season 2-0 for the second straight season.
Game 1 | Marian 8-4 Carolina | 9 Innings
Marian's offense highlighted game one, rattling off nine hits to pair with eight runs in the season opener. The Knights sent four to the plate in the first inning, and in the second inning broke the game open with four runs and four hits. The second got off to a rocky start after a pair of strikeouts, but a timely two-out hit from Hironori Kato kept Marian in the frame. A walk put a second runner on the pond, and set up scoring chances on consecutive at bats, as Trey Heidlage and Mateo Porcellato smacked back to back RBI singles. Jackson Hogg finished the damage with a two-RBI double, putting Marian on top 4-0 after nine outs.
While the offense was in an early rhythm, the defense got off to a strong start behind the left arm of Tanner Simpson. Simpson worked a perfect first and second inning picking up a pair of strikeouts, and worked around a lead-off walk in the bottom of the third with another pair of K's to preserve the shutout.
Hogg tacked on two more runs to make it a 6-0 lead for Marian in the top of the fourth with his first home run of the season, and Simpson worked out of a lead-off double by fanning two more batters in the bottom of the fourth. Simpson recorded his seventh strikeout of the game in the bottom of the fifth, but reached his pitch count after giving up a double. Kole Aping relieved the southpaw, and got a strikeout of his own to strand a runner at third. Aping allowed a run to cross the plate in the bottom of the sixth, but got out of the inning by striking out the side to keep a 6-1 lead for Marian.
Dion Wintjes put the game on ice in the top of the seventh, as the transfer uncorked his first home run of the season, using the lead-off solo shot to make it a 7-1 game. The Bruins would scratch two runs off of Aping in the bottom of the seventh on a home run and an additional run off of Brandon Puckett in the bottom of the eighth, but a second solo shot from Wintjes in the ninth ended any comeback hopes.
Hogg and Wintjes each went 2-5 in the series opener, combining for six RBI, four extra base hits, and three home runs. Kato also had two of Marian's nine hits. On the mound, Simpson earned the win going 4.1 innings of scoreless ball, fanning seven batters. Aping completed two innings and struckout four, while Puckett threw 2.2 innings with four strikeouts while allowing an unearned run.
Game 2 | Marian 7-5 Carolina | 7 Innings
Marian again scored first in game two, putting a crooked five runs on the board in the top half of the first inning. Christian Lopez, Caden Jones, and Kato each recorded RBI singles, with Wintjes and Sean Dieppa reaching base on an error to record an RBI. Game two starter Noah Sackenheim then grooved through the bottom of hte first, throwing a perfect frame.
Sackenheim worked consecutive three-up, three-down innings in the second and third, getting up from a double play to avoid damage from a one-out single in the third. Wintjes padded the score with his third solo shot of the day in the top of the third to give Marian a 6-0 lead. Sackenheim then threw two strikeouts in the fourth, cruising through four shutout innings.
The freshman pitcher did get roughed up in the home side of the fifth, allowing a double and home run in his first three batters, before walking a Bruin to set up a two RBI double. After allowing a run to cross on a wild pitch, Taylor Varnado was called in from the bullpen, and the second-year pitcher did his job to get out of the inning with a strikeout and fly out. Marian led 6-5 after five complete.
Needing an insurance run, the Knights played small ball in the top of the sixth, starting with a lead-off single from Kato. A sacrifice bunt advanced Kato to second, who came around to score two batters later on an RBI single from Hogg. Varnado then polished off the sixth with a clean three outs, setting up the seventh with a strikeout. Varnado closed out the game in the seventh with a pair of pop outs and a strikeout, clsoing out Marian's 7-5 win.
Wintjes and Kato each had two hits and two RBI with Wintjes dialing up his third home run of the series. Heidlage laid down a sacrifice bunt for Marian, with Jones and Hogg each recording one RBI.
On the mound Sackenheim lasted 4.1 innings in his collegiate debut, allowing five hits and three earned runs. Varnado allowed just one hit in his 2.2 innings of relief work, striking out three batters to earn the save.
Marian will look to finish the series with a clean sweep on Sunday afternoon. Weather is in the Carolina area, so stay tuned to @MUKnights on Twitter for all schedule updates.
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