INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Two of the Crossroads League's most explosive offenses lived up to the hype Friday afternoon as the #24 Forester baseball team split a doubleheader with #RV Marian at MU Ballpark to open a four-game weekend series.
The Knights claimed game one in dramatic walk-off fashion, 12-11, before Huntington bounced back to take the nightcap 6-5.
Both teams entered the highly anticipated series riding waves of momentum. Huntington was coming off a sweep of #3 Taylor, while Marian had just set a program record with 43 runs in a rout of Goshen earlier in the week. Coming in, Marian led the Crossroads League as the only undefeated team in conference play and was averaging more than 13 runs per game, while the Foresters boasted a potent offense of their own at 8.5 runs per outing.
With the split, Huntington moves to 17-4 overall and 7-3 in Crossroads League play, while Marian sits at 15-4 overall and 9-1 in the league.
Game 1 – Marian 12, Huntington 11 (9 innings)
Game one quickly turned into a slugfest with the two teams combining for 23 runs and 23 hits, but Marian had the final say by rallying in the ninth for the walk-off victory.
Trailing 1-0 early, the Foresters exploded for six runs in the third inning. Owen Willard provided the big swing, crushing a grand slam to cap the rally and give Huntington a 6-1 advantage. HU also got RBI production in the inning from Jace Fowler, while Deklan Thompson swiped home during the surge.
The Knights answered immediately with a three-run homer by River Pecina in the bottom of the frame to trim the deficit to 6-4. Huntington extended its lead again in the fifth. A wild pitch plated one run before Kade Flores delivered a two-run single, pushing the Foresters in front 9-4.
Marian chipped away with three runs in the sixth, but HU responded once more in the seventh when Thompson roped a two-run double to stretch the lead to 11-7. The Knights refused to go quietly.
A two-run homer by Landon Sarkey in the eighth cut the margin to 11-9, setting the stage for the dramatic ninth. Marian took advantage of two hit batters, two walks and two wild pitches to tie the game before a game-ending RBI single by River Pecina completed the comeback.
Willard finished with four RBI, while Fowler and Clarkson each collected two hits in the loss. Flores and Thompson added two RBI apiece as Huntington totaled 10 hits and seven walks.
On the mound, RJ Anglin struck out 10 over 5.1 innings before the Foresters used three relievers down the stretch. Dylan Eggl took the loss after entering late in the eighth.
Game 2 – Huntington 6, Marian 5
The Foresters bounced back in the nightcap, jumping in front early and holding off Marian's late push to salvage the split.
Huntington struck first in the opening inning when Fowler came around to score on a passed ball to give HU the early lead.
The Foresters added to the margin in the third when Cam Clarkson singled up the middle to plate Keifer Wilson, making it 2-0.
Marian answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, but the biggest swing of the game came in the sixth. Owen Imel energized the Huntington dugout with a three-run homer, stretching the lead to 5-1.
The Knights got one run back in the bottom of the frame before HU tacked on what proved to be the winning run in the seventh when Clarkson delivered an RBI single to score Sam Kestranek, who was pinch running for Keifer Wilson after a double.
Leading 6-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, things quickly tightened when Cole McManus launched a one-out three-run homer to pull Marian within one.
That's when Gabe Hamrick came on in relief and delivered in the clutch. After recording a flyout and allowing a single representing the tying run, Hamrick struck out the final batter swinging to secure the victory and earn the save.
Max Engle improved to 4-0 on the season, striking out eight batters over 6.1 innings in the win.
Clarkson paced the offense with two hits and two RBI, while Imel's three-run blast provided the game's biggest at-bat. Wilson added two hits, helping the Foresters collect eight hits overall.
Up Next
The two teams will wrap up the four-game series Saturday with another doubleheader at MU Ballpark, with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
