MARION, Ind. – Two top softball teams in the Crossroads League did battle on Tuesday at Wildcat Field. Indiana Wesleyan University and Marian (Ind.) University split the two games with Marian winning the opener 4-0 and Indiana Wesleyan taking the nightcap 9-7.

The Wildcats move to 21-10 overall this year and 3-3 in league play. The Knights are now 17-7 on the season and 8-2 in Crossroads League action.

Marian earned a 4-0 shutout over Indiana Wesleyan in the opening game. It is the first time in 2013 that Indiana Wesleyan failed to score.

Indiana Wesleyan managed just two hits in the loss. Both hits were singles by DP Marissa French and 1B Bryttany Van Vliet.

Tanna Hinthorne went the distance for the Wildcats. She allowed four earned runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out eight in 7.0 innings. Hinthorne held the Knights scoreless through five innings before MU scored a pair of runs in each the sixth and seventh innings.

The second game proved to be much different as the teams combined for 16 runs in a 9-7 Wildcat victory.

Indiana Wesleyan scored in each of the first two innings to lead 3-1. All three runs crossed the plate on doubles by Van Vliet, 3B Sam Hemming, and C Katie Smith.

The Knights took their first lead of the game in the fourth inning with three runs for a 4-3 advantage. The Wildcats quickly responded with four runs in the home half to regain the lead at 7-4. Hemming singled home 2B Lauren Benda and Smith followed with a 3-run jack to account for the scoring.

Marian scored two runs in the fifth inning to draw within one at 7-6 with the tying run on second base. IWU head coach Steve Babinski took out starting pitcher Gabby McIntire and inserted Hinthorne. A double down the line tied the score at 7-7 before Hinthorne got the final out of the inning.

Indiana Wesleyan recaptured the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs. Van Vliet singled to right center field to score Jessica Hull for the winning run and a Gabby Bogear squeeze play scored Spencer Ferrin to give Indiana Wesleyan an insurance run for a 9-7 lead.

Marian brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning with one out. But Hinthorne shut down Marian with a fielder’s choice and a foul out behind home plate to end the game.

Following a two-hit performance in the opener, Indiana Wesleyan pounded out 12 hits in the win. Five Wildcats had multi-hit efforts, led by Smith who was 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run, a double, four RBI, and two runs scored. Hemming was also 2-for-4 with a walk and a double plus two RBI and two runs. French, Van Vliet, and LF Michelle McGary all contributed two hits.

Hinthorne was credited with the win in relief. She did not surrender a run in 2.1 innings while giving up two hits and no walks with one punch-out. McIntire allowed seven runs – six earned – in 4.2 innings.

Indiana Wesleyan will next play at Taylor (Ind.) University on Thursday. The doubleheader begins at 5 p.m. in Upland, Indiana.