Marian's Fleming Earns 800th-Career Victory With Win at Grace

WINONA LAKE, Ind. - The Marian softball team rolled past Grace College 12-0 on Tuesday afternoon in game one of the doubleheader between the Knights and Lancers, and in the victory Marian softball head coach Scott Fleming collected win number 800 in his 22-year coaching career. Fleming's milestone comes in his 1057th career game as the Marian head coach.

Marian had no problem finding offense in the win, piling on three runs in the first inning with Lily Wendt's two-run home run lighting a charge to the scoreboard. Hayley Greene roped an RBI single to bring in the third run, and in the home half of the inning Olivia Stunkel picked up a pair of strikeouts, stranding two runners on base in the frame. The Knights pushed across two more in the top of hte second, as a pair walks set up Lily Wendt again, who drove in two runs with a base hit to left field. Stunkel recorded two strikeouts once more in the bottom of the second, stranding a hit and an error to preserve the 5-0 lead.

The third inning was the lone scoreless frame of the game as Jenna Minnix's lead-off walk in the top half was stranded at second base, while Marian's ace retired the Lancers in order in the home half. Marian ignited their offense again in the fourth inning, slamming five base hits in the inning to bring home an additional five runs to their lead, pushing the score to 10-0. Grace Meyer recorded a bases-clearing double in the inning to score three runs, while Ally Malone posted a two-RBI single as the inning progressed to capture the double figure lead. Stunkel finished her outing in the bottom of the fourth inning, picking up two strikeouts as she retired the side in order.

The scoring finished for Marian in the top of the fifth inning, as Wendt recorded her second two-run home run of the game, marking her first-career two home run game. Wendt's two-out home run made the score 12-0, and in the bottom of the fifth Katie Lackman finished the game in the circle, facing four batters as she sealed the victory with a flyout to center.

Wendt was a perfect 3-3 with six RBI and two home runs, and Meyer had three RBI while recording a double. As a team, the Knights had 12 base hits in the victory. Stunkel (18-0) earned her 18th victory of the season in the game, striking out seven while pitching in her fourth shutout of the season. 

Marian's head coach Scott Fleming earned win number 800, doing so in his 1057th career game. Following game one of the doubleheader, Marian's skipper holds a career record of 800-257, with 437 of those victories coming against the Crossroads League. The veteran coach is in his 22nd season at Marian as the head softball coach, while also serving at various points in his Marian career as an assistant men's basketball coach and admissions counselor. Fleming is among the top-10 active coaches in the NAIA in career victories, and is the 11th NAIA softball coach to record their 800th career victory.

For Fleming, the milestone comes at the same location where he recorded win number 700, as nearly two years to the day, the Knights' head coach earned win 700 with a game one win at Grace College.