INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian College baseball team hosted Taylor University on Friday evening at the Marian College Baseball Field in a twi-night doubleheader.

 

The Knights picked up the win in game one, 7-3, but were unable to overcome strong pitching in game two and fell, 6-1. Their record now sits a 20-22 on the season and 9-11 in MCC play.

 

After Taylor scored a pair in the first on a solo home run and an RBI-double, the Knights responded in the bottom of the second with a pair of their own to tie the score, 2-2. Junior Tony Goodpaster (Avon, Indiana/Wabash) ripped a two-run double with two outs to tie the game.

 

Taylor took a one-run lead in the third, but the Knights answered again on a two-out RBI-single by sophomore Bobby Willis (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County). Freshman Jared Mills (Cicero, Indiana/Hamilton Heights) hit a double down the left field line to start the inning.

 

The Knights posted four more over their final three at-bats to take the 7-3 lead. An RBI-sacrifice fly by sophomore Todd Ungru (Madison, Indiana/Shawe Memorial) and an RBI-double by senior Kyle Cox (Indianapolis/Butler) gave the Knights a 5-3 lead after four innings.

 

They added two more in the sixth on an RBI-ground out by freshman James Storms (Camby, Indiana/Plainfield) and an RBI-double by junior Mike Keltz (Avon, Indiana/Avon) to give freshman Neil Hackett (LaPorte, Indiana/LaPorte) the win.

 

Hackett threw five strong innings and allowed just two earned runs to improve to 4-3 on the season. Goodpaster threw two shutout innings to close out his second save of the season.

 

Freshman Evan Schludecker (Indianapolis/Roncalli) and Cox each had two hits to lead the Knights. Goodpaster led the way with two RBI.

 

Game two was a different story for the Knights. While it was a 1-1 game through four innings, the Trojans scored two in the fourth and three in the fifth to pick up the 6-1 win.

 

An RBI-double by Cox was one of few bright spots as the Knights were held to that one hit and committed five errors in the defeat.

 

The Knights now head to No. 25-ranked Spring Arbor on Saturday at Hank Burbridge Stadium. The twinbill is scheduled for 1 p.m.