MARION, Ind. -- Indiana Wesleyan University baseball defeated Marian (Ind.) 9-3 in the second game of a doubleheader at Wildcat Field to earn a doubleheader split. Marian won a pitcher’s duel in the first game by a 2-1 score.

In game two, Brandon Watkins (FR/Indianapolis, Ind.) struggled in the first inning as Marian scored two runs on three hits. With two outs and two on, Brody Edgerly smoked a line drive right up the middle that Watkins snagged to end the threat.

Watkins would settle down and pitch into the sixth inning. He got all the run support he would need in the bottom half of the first inning when Indiana Wesleyan scored four times and knocked out the Marian starting pitcher before ever recording an out.

IWU put the game away in the third inning with three more runs to lead 7-2. Phil Lougheed earned the big hit in the inning with a two-run single.

With an 8-2 lead in the sixth inning, Watkins was taken out of the game with one out and the bases loaded. Jon Keesling (SO/Selma, Ind.) entered in relief and allowed just one of those run to score as IWU led 8-3. Cody Calvert (JR/Godfrey, Ill.) got that run back in the home half of that inning with an RBI single to score Preston Fugita (JR/Littleton, Colo.) for the 9-3 lead.

Watkins earned the win on the mound as he gave up three runs in 5.1 innings of work. He gave up six hits and four walks while striking out three Knights. Keesling finished the final 1.2 innings of the game and allowed one hit.

Fugita was 3-for-4 in the win with two runs scored while Cam Screeton, Calvert, and Lougheed all contributed two hits. Calvert crossed the plate twice and had four RBI while Lougheed had a walk and three RBI.

Cody Jones (SR/Hartford City, Ind.) pitched great in game two but would suffer a tough loss in a 2-1 game. Jack Collingsworth, Jr. (SO/Apple Valley Calif.) hit an RBI single to score Fugita in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Jones would make that lead hold until the fifth inning when Marian tied the score 1-1 on a sac fly.

In the seventh inning with one out and the bases loaded, Jones unleashed a wild pitch for the go-ahead run to score for the Knights. Jones would get the next batter to line out to Fugita at second base and Marcus Price (FR/Hartford City, Ind.) came in to pitch and induced a ground ball to the mound for the final out as IWU trailed 2-1 in the final inning. But Indiana Wesleyan went 1-2-3 in the seventh to endure the one run loss.

Fugita, Collingsworth, and Cam Screeton each had two hits in the loss while AJ Harris (SO/Temecula, Calif.) had the only other single.  Jones finished with two earned runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings. He walked three and struck out five.

Indiana Wesleyan and Marian will finish their series tomorrow in Indianapolis, Indiana. First pitch will be at 4 p.m.