INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian University baseball team played host to the Mid-Central College Conference-leading Taylor University Trojans on Thursday evening at Marian University Baseball Field. The Knights battled the heavy-hitting Trojans in both games, but suffered a heartbreaking sweep, 8-5 and 7-6, to the Trojans. The two defeats sent the Knights to 18-18 on the season and 10-6 in MCC play.

The afternoon's first game started as a bit of a pitcher's duel as both teams were only able to scratch a single run across the plate over the first three innings. Taylor took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Knights answered as junior Austin Gibson took a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for his second career homerun to tie the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second.

Both teams went scoreless in the third before the Trojans used a four-run fourth inning to open a 5-1 lead. The Knights would scratch and claw their way back into the ballgame with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the lead to 5-3. A double steal allowed junior Todd Ungru to score in the fourth, while junior Bobby Willis brought freshman Brett Metcalf, who tripled, to the plate on a safety squeeze to get within two runs.

However, Taylor tallied three more in the top of the sixth to open an 8-3 lead, but MU continued to fight with a pair of its own in the bottom half. An RBI-ground out from freshman pinch-hitter Jordan Long started the scoring, while sophomore Evan Schludecker hit an RBI-single to cut the lead to three at 8-5. But, that was as close as the Knights would get as TU was able to close out the game one victory.

Gibson led the Knights after he went 3-for-3 with a homerun and an RBI, while Willis and senior Tony Goodpaster each had two hits.

The nightcap proved to be much more of a pitcher's duel as both hurlers did a tremendous job through four innings of play. A solo homerun in the top of the second gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead before they tacked on one more in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead.

The Knights finally got the offense going in the bottom of the fifth as they posted six runs to take a 6-2 lead. A leadoff single by sophomore James Storms opened the inning before a walk and a bunt single loaded the bases. Junior Todd Ungru earned a bases-loaded walk to score the inning's first run, and Gibson hit an RBI-sacrifice fly to plate the second run of the inning.

The big hit came off the bat of sophomore Jared Mills as he ripped a 1-0 fastball up the middle for a two-run single to give the Knights a 4-2 lead. Senior pinch-hitter Patrick Midla scored on an error before Storms followed with an RBI-single to stake the Knights the four-run lead at 6-2.

Taylor battled back with three runs in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 6-5 before the Knights looked to add an insurance run. A walk and a single were left for not as the Knights stranded a pair in the bottom of the sixth and maintained their slim one-run lead.

A pair of manufactured runs in the top of the seventh inning gave the Trojans the 7-6 lead and they were able to hold the Knights in the bottom half for the come-from-behind win.

Mills finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Storms went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Goodpaster added two hits, while Ungru and Gibson each had a hit for the Knights.

MU head to Upland, Ind., on Saturday to take on the Trojans in the return twin bill at Taylor. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. and LIVE STATISTICS will be available at www.muknights.com via Taylor athletics.