INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian College baseball team brought its record back to .500 as the Knights picked up a key sweep over Davenport University at Marian College Baseball Field on Sunday afternoon.

 

The Knights utilized strong pitching and timely hitting to pick up a 9-1 win in game one and got the best of a pitcher's duel in game two, 4-3. The Knights are 11-11 on the season, have won six straight, and nine of their last 10 contests.

 

After a 1-2-3 top of the first in game one, the Knights opened the floodgates quickly on Davenport as they posted eight runs in the bottom of the first to take an 8-0 lead.

 

A pair of singles opened the inning and junior Mike Keltz (Avon, Indiana/Avon) got the scoring started with an RBI-sacrifice fly. Senior Kyle Cox (Indianapolis/Butler) and junior Tony Goodpaster (Avon, Indiana/Wabash) each laced RBI-singles, and freshman Jon Wade (Avon, Indiana/Avon) walked in a run to take a 4-0 lead.

 

Senior Chad Morris (Whitestown, Indiana/Vermont) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and freshman Evan Schludecker (Indianapolis/Roncalli) also walked in a run to take a 6-0 lead. Freshman Mark Hildebrand (Brookville, Indiana/Franklin County) scored on a wild pitch and sophomore Todd Ungru (Madison, Indiana/Shawe Memorial) was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to stake junior Patrick Midla (Brownsburg, Indiana/Bethesda Christian) an 8-0 lead after one inning. The only question that remained was: could Midla hold such a lead?

 

He answered that question with an emphatic yes as he maintained a no-hitter through four-and-a-third innings, and he allowed just one earned run on four hits in a complete game victory. He improved to 2-1 on the season.

 

The Knights added one more on an RBI-sacrifice fly by Goodpaster before Davenport scored one in the final inning to give Midla and the Knights the 9-1 win.

 

Goodpaster went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. Morris and Schludecker each went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Morris scored two runs and Schludecker crossed the plate once.

 

Game two was a classic pitcher's duel as neither starter conceded an inch over the first three innings. Davenport broke through in the four with a run to take a 1-0 lead, but the Knights answered with a run in the bottom half on an RBI-ground out to tie the game, 1-1.

 

The Knights scored two more in the bottom of the fifth as sophomore Bobby Willis (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County) scored on an error and Schludecker ripped an RBI-double to give the Knights a 3-1 lead. Morris was plunked again with the bases loaded and gave the Knights a 4-1 lead.

 

That was all junior Ricky Parrish (Avon, Indiana/Avon) needed as he cruised through the Davenport lineup all the way until the seventh inning when the Panthers scored a pair to make things interesting. However, he got out of the jam and earned the 4-3 win.

 

Parrish threw his third complete game, allowed just two earned runs on six hits, and struck out two to improve to 2-3 on the season.

 

Schludecker went 2-for-4 to lead the Knights while Goodpaster added two hits.

 

The Knights hit the road to open Mid-Central College Conference play on Tuesday afternoon. The Knights will battle Indiana Wesleyan at 4 p.m., from Wildcat Field in Marion, Indiana.