INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian College softball team picked up its fifth and sixth straight victories on Wednesday afternoon after the Knights swept Grace College, 5-0 and 8-0 in five innings, in a Mid-Central College Conference twinbill.

 

The Knights improved to 27-7 on the season and are 10-2 in conference play.

 

Marian College opened the scoring in the bottom of the second as freshman Kelsey Uebelhor (St. Anthony, Indiana/Forest Park) ripped an RBI-triple to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.

 

The Knights added a run in the fourth and fifth innings before scoring a pair in the bottom of the sixth.

 

Uebelhor singled to open the fourth and, after a single by sophomore Jessica Slayton (Indianapolis/Decatur Central), scored on a wild throw to open a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Mallory Ortwein (Anderson, Indiana/Anderson) led off the fifth with her 11th home run of the season to give the Knights the 3-0 lead.

 

Slayton finished the scoring with a two-run double in the sixth and the 5-0 lead was more than enough for senior Heather Pieper (Greenwood, Indiana/Greenwood).

 

Pieper threw a complete game two-hit shutout to pick up her 14th victory of the season. She struck out five and walked none in her 17th appearance of the season.

 

It was more of the same in the second game as the Knights opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. Ortwein led off the inning with her 12th home run of the season, 17th of her career, to take a 1-0 lead. Junior Chelsea Young (Brownsburg, Indiana/Brownsburg) gave the Knights a 3-0 lead with a two-run home run. It was her second of the campaign.

 

The Knights added another in the third on an RBI-double by Ortwein to take a 4-0 lead.

 

A four-run fourth invoked the eight-run rule and finished off the Lancers, 8-0. Junior Angie Such (Brownsburg, Indiana/Brownsburg) brought junior Melissa Coutz (Indianapolis/Bishop Chatard) home on a fielder's choice to open the inning. Uebelhor ripped a two-run double and sophomore Chelsea Bell (Indianapolis/Franklin Central) finished the game with an RBI-ground out.

 

The eight runs was much more than needed for junior Sandy Corum (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County). Corum carried a no-hitter through four-and-one-third innings before the lone hit in the fifth. She allowed the one hit, had one walk, and struck out 11 batters. It was her second straight game with more than 10 strikeouts. She is now 9-0 on the season.

 

Bell, Ortwein, and Young each had two hits to lead the Knights while Ortwein, Young, and Uebelhor each drove in two runs for the Knights.

 

Marian College gets back into action on Friday afternoon when the Knights battle Oakland City University at Marian College Softball Field. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m., and the game will be broadcast LIVE at www.marian.edu/athletics. It will be the maiden broadcast for Marian College softball.