SPRING ARBOR, Michigan - The Marian College softball team traveled to Spring Arbor University on Saturday afternoon and came away with a twinbill split, 3-0 and 10-2, over the Cougars to all but seal the No. 2 seed for the MCC Tournament.

 

The Knights are now 31-7 on the season and 12-2 in Mid-Central College Conference play.

 

Marian College jumped out in front, 1-0, with a run in the first inning. Senior Samantha Hypes (Plainfield, Indiana/Plainfield) reached on a single, and sophomore Mallory Ortwein (Anderson, Indiana/Anderson) ripped an RBI-double to give the Knights the early lead.

 

The Knights tacked another run on in the fourth after Hypes led off the inning with a triple. Ortwein hit an RBI-sacrifice fly to score Hypes and give Marian College a 2-0 lead.

 

The two runs were more than enough for senior Heather Pieper (Greenwood, Indiana/Greenwood), however, an RBI-single by sophomore Jessica Slayton (Indianapolis/Decatur Central) gave Pieper a 3-0 lead.

 

The senior made it stick as she threw her 15th complete game and fourth shutout of the season. She scattered eight hits and struck out four to improve to 16-3.

 

Hypes went 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Ortwein finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.

 

In game two, the Knights scored early on an RBI-single by senior Amanda Teagardin (Indianapolis/Southport), but the Cougars answered in the bottom half to tie the game, 1-1.

 

The Knights put the game out of reach in the with a six-run explosion to take a 7-1 lead. Sophomore Chelsea Bell (Indianapolis/Franklin Central) doubled to lead off the inning. She scored on an RBI-single by Ortwein for the inning's first run. Teagardin singled to load the bases, and junior Melissa Coutz (Indianapolis/Bishop Chatard) cleared the bases with a three-run triple and scored on a passed ball to give the Knights a 6-1 lead. Freshman Brittany Camp (Kokomo, Indiana/Kokomo) scored on and RBI-ground out by Such to make the score 7-1.

 

A solo home run in the bottom of the fourth cut the gap to five, 7-2, but the Knights tacked on three in the final two innings to pick up the 10-2 win.

 

Teagardin scored on a passed ball in the sixth while Bell hit an RBI-single and Slayton scored on an error in the seventh to give junior Sandy Corum (North Vernon, Indiana/Jennings County) her 11th victory of the season.

 

The junior threw her eighth complete game of the season and allowed two runs on seven hits. She struck out five and walked just one to improve to 11-0 on the season.

 

Coutz finished 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI to lead the Knights. Bell and Teagardin each went 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Slayton finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.

 

The Knights return to Marian College Softball Field on Tuesday for their final MCC twinbill of the season against Taylor University. The Knights' seniors will be honored and the game will be broadcast LIVE at www.marian.edu/athletics. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.