Junior Tony Goodpaster went 5-for-8 with six RBI in a Saint Patrick's Day sweep.

INDIANAPOLIS - Adorned in their green jerseys and with the sun drenching the field, the Marian College baseball team picked up a much-needed sweep of Oakland City University on Tuesday to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day at Marian College Baseball Field.

 

The Knights defeated the Mighty Oaks, 11-5 in the game one, and 12-10 in game two. They improved to 7-11 on the season.

 

After a scoreless first inning, the Knights took a 5-0 lead with four runs in the second inning and one in the third. An RBI-single by freshman Jon Wade (Avon, Indiana/Avon) opened the scoring while sophomore Bobby Willis (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County) stole home. Sophomore Todd Ungru (Madison, Indiana/Shawe Memorial) ripped a two-run single to cap the four-run second inning and give the Knights the 4-0 lead.

 

Another RBI-single from Wade gave the Knights a 5-0 lead after three innings. OCU responded with a pair in the top of the fourth, but the Knights answered with three of their own.

 

An RBI-double by junior Tony Goodpaster (Avon, Indiana/Wabash) was followed by a two-run double by freshman James Storms (Camby, Indiana/Plainfield) to stake the Knights an 8-2 lead.

 

Three more runs in the bottom of the fifth put the Knights up 11-2 after five innings. The five-run inning was capped by an RBI-single by junior Mike Keltz (Avon, Indiana/Avon) and a two-run single by Goodpaster.

 

OCU scored three in the sixth to make the score 11-5, but junior Ricky Parrish (Avon, Indiana/Avon) settled down and shut down the Mighty Oaks to pick up the complete game victory.

 

Parrish threw seven strong innings, allowed just four earned runs on eight hits, and struck out four to improve to 1-3 on the season.

 

Goodpaster and Keltz each went 3-for-4 to lead the Knights. Goodpaster also drove in three runs while Ungru, Storms, and Wade each drove in a pair.

 

Freshman Evan Schludecker (Indianapolis/Roncalli), Ungru, Storms, and Wade each had two hits for the Knights, who pounded out 16 hits.

 

Game two started the opposite way as OCU posted three runs in the top of the first. However, the Knights responded with a pair of their own in the bottom half. Senior Kyle Cox (Indianapolis/Butler) ripped a two-run single to cut the gap to one, 3-2.

 

After a pair of scoreless innings, the Knights broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with eight runs to take a 10-3 lead. A single and a double opened the inning and sophomore Cory Emmons (Indianapolis/Lutheran) hit an RBI-single for the inning's first run.

 

Willis beat out a squeeze bunt that scored a run and senior Chad Morris (Whitestown, Indiana/Vermont) ripped a two-run single to give the Knights a 6-3 lead. Schludecker hit a two-run double and was followed by a two-run single by Goodpaster to give the Knights the 10-3 lead.

 

However, the Oaks responded with six runs in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to 10-9.

 

The Knights were not done as they posted a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI-walk and a bases loaded error to take a 12-9 lead.

 

The Oaks made the Knights hold their collective breath in the top of the seventh as they rallied. However, one run was not enough as the Knights hung on for the 12-10 victory.

 

Junior Patrick Midla (Brownsburg, Indiana/Bethesda Christian) picked up the victory after he threw four-and-one-third innings and struck out three. Sophomore Aaron Wilder (Decatur, Indiana/Bellmont) picked up his first save with two innings of two-hit ball.

 

Morris, Schludecker, Cox, and Goodpaster each had two hits while Goodpaster drove in three runs. Morris, Schludecker, and Cox each drove in two runs for the Knights.

 

The Knights remain on their home stand when the University of Miami-Hamilton comes to town on Thursday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. The game(s) can be heard LIVE at www.marian.edu/athletics.