GAME ONE STATS  |  GAME TWO STATS

INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian University baseball team recovered from a split with Bethel College on Tuesday with a Mid-Central College Conference doubleheader sweep of Goshen College at the Marian University Baseball Field on Thursday afternoon.

The Knights won game one by a 5-4 count, and they swept the Maple Leafs with a 6-1 win in game two. The sweep brought MU over .500 as the Knights improved to 14-14 on the season and 7-3 in conference play. Since dropping their first doubleheader on the road, the Knights are 7-1 in MCC play.

Marian University jumped out in front quickly as they posted a single run in the bottom of the first and three tallies in the bottom of the third to take a 4-0 lead in game one.

Junior Todd Ungru ripped an RBI-double to the opposite field to stake MU its first run in the first inning. An RBI-ground out from freshman Brett Metcalf, an RBI-single by senior Tony Goodpaster and an RBI-double by sophomore Jared Mills gave MU a 4-0 lead after two innings.

They added one more in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-triple by junior Bobby Willis gave the Knights a 5-0 lead as sophomore Neil Hackett seemed to be cruising on the mound.

Goshen fought back with three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the lead to two at 5-3 before posting one more in the top of the fifth to make the game interesting at 5-4 with an inning remaining. Hackett was able to shut the door on the Maple Leafs in the top of the seventh to hang on for his fifth victory of the season.

He threw a complete game, scattered 10 hits, and struck out four to improve to 5-1 on the season.

Willis and Goodpaster each finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Ungru and Metcalf also went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Mills and junior Jake Mullis each added a hit. Willis extended his team-high hitting streak to seven games in the win.

The second game was more of a pitcher's duel as both teams were able to post a single run in the first inning, but could get nothing done over the next three innings. Goshen posted a run on a wild pitch in the top half, while the Knights got a run home on a double steal as Goodpaster scored to knot the score at 1-1.

The pitchers settled in and a combined three hits over the next three-and-a-half innings. However, the Knights broke through in the bottom of the fifth. They posted five runs on six hits to take a 6-1 lead. Goodpaster came through with a two-run single after a pair of bunt base hits. Mills came through with an RBI-single, while Ungru hit an RBI-sacrifice fly and Gibson finished off the rally with an RBI-single up the middle to give the Knights a 6-1 advantage.

That was all sophomore Ben Walters would need as he threw a complete game five-hitter to improve to 3-2 on the campaign. He allowed just one earned run, walked just one and struck out three for the win.

Mills finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, while Goodpaster went 1-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Gibson added a hit and an RBI, while Ungru added an RBI to lead the Knights.

MU hits the road to complete the season series on Saturday at Goshen College. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.