MARION, Ind. -- The top two teams in the Crossroads League standings met on Wednesday in a softball doubleheader between #18 Indiana Wesleyan University and #RV Marian (Ind.) at Wildcat Field.

Marian won the first game 7-5 and then finished the sweep with a 6-4 victory in game two.

With the pair of victories the Knights extend their Crossroads League lead with a 15-1 mark. The Wildcats fall two games behind the Knights with a 14-4 record.

Indiana Wesleyan struggled early in the opening game as Marian recorded three runs in each of the first two innings for an early 6-0 lead. That chased IWU starting pitcher Janessa Guevara (JR/Lathrop, Calif.) as she surrendered six runs -- three earned -- in 1.1 innings.

Indiana Wesleyan responded with a four run second inning to trim the deficit to two runs at 6-4. Marian added an insurance run in the third inning for a 7-4 advantage. That score held into the seventh inning when Indiana Wesleyan plated one run to trail 7-5 but was unable to score the tying run.

Carlie Weaver (FR/Brownsburg, Ind.) was strong in relief with one run in 5.2 innings. Emily Hastings (SO/Riverside, Ill.) was 3-for-4 with a run scored while Sara Kreitzer (SO/Ashland, Ohio) and Amanda Brunner (SR/Miamisburg, Ohio) both hit 2-for-4.

In game two, the Wildcats struck first with an RBI single by Alex Springer (FR/Fort Wayne, Ind.) in the first inning. The Knights took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning until an Allison Bexell (JR/Avon, Ind.) RBI single tied the game in the bottom half of the inning.

The Knights reclaimed the lead 4-2 in the fourth inning but the Wildcats tied the score for a second time with a 2-run home run by Springer in the fifth inning. That tie was short lived as the Knights plated two more runs in the sixth inning for a 6-4 lead. IWU loaded the bases in the seventh inning but a fly out to right field ended the game.

Haley Nixon (FR/Bristol, Ind.) suffered the loss with six runs on 12 hits in 6.0 innings pitched. Springer finished 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs and Bexell was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Sam Hemming (SR/Russiaville, Ind.) and Kreitzer each contributed two hits.

Indiana Wesleyan returns to action on Friday with a doubleheader at Huntington (Ind.). First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.