Grace upsets No. 17 Knights
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Grace’s softball team ended its season on a high note after taking down No. 17 Marian on Saturday.
The Lady Lancers dealt the Knights a 4-1 upset in the opening game; Marian had the final say with a 10-2 win in the final matchup.
Grace won 11 Crossroads League games this year under first-year co-head coaches Bo Coolen and Sam Coolen, the most since 2017.
Grace played one of its most complete games of the season in the opening win over the Knights (38-9, 28-8 CL). The Lady Lancers outhit Marian 8-4 and had zero errors in the field.
Jeri Ellis was the star, driving in two runs and pitching a complete game.
Grace claimed its first lead in the second inning. Ellis led off the frame with a solo homer to left field.
Marian countered with a two-out RBI single in the third to even the score at 1-1.
Ellis gave Grace its second lead of the game in the sixth inning. Bethany Gardner and Cassandra Hayes reached base with a single and double respectively. Ellis drove a single to center field, allowing Hayes to come home for a 2-1 lead.
Ellis retired the Knights 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth, and Grace added to its lead in the seventh.
Montana Brincks and Gardner gave Grace two baserunners. Jessica Kaurich then stepped up with two outs and put a double between right and center field, driving in both runners to expand the Lady Lancers’ cushion to 4-1.
The Knights managed a double in the bottom of the seventh, but Grace’s defense took care of the rest to retire the hosts.
Ellis pitched a four-hitter, allowing just one run with no walks across her seven innings. She also hit 2 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.
Gardner was 2 for 4 with two runs from the leadoff position.
In the second game, Grace grabbed another early lead. In the second inning, Ellis and Kendra Arnold began the stanza with back-to-back singles.
Bree Gardinier and Brincks then delivered RBIs on consecutive at-bats to hand Grace a 2-0 advantage.
Unfortunately for Grace, that was all the scoring the Lady Lancers (14-33, 11-25 CL) had left.
Marian used two major innings to break open the contest. In the fourth inning, the Knights took advantage of four Grace errors to score three runs and take the lead.
The sixth inning saw Marian manufacture five more runs, ending the game early due to the run rule.
Taylor Hodgen batted 2 for 2, and Ellis had another productive outing at the plate by hitting 2 for 3.