Saturday At Manchester U

Softball Splits Final Day in Florida
CLERMONT, Fla.- The Manchester University softball team concluded its spring trip this morning with games against Thomas (ME) and Allegheny. The Spartans dropped a close 4-3 decision to the Terriers but rallied for 6-5 win in extra innings against the Gators. MU will return to the Hoosier State with a 5-5 record.

Thomas (ME) 4, Manchester 3 – Box Score

The Terriers started the scoring on Saturday morning with a run in the top of the 1st inning. Manchester then rallied in the home half of the 2nd, scoring all three of its runs to take a 3-1.

Miranda Boggs (Frankfurt, Ind. Frankfurt) got the Spartans on the board with a sac fly to right field. Corey Uetrecht (Leo, Ind. / Leo) singled home the second Manchester run of the inning. Haley Perez (Portage, Ind. / Portage) capped the Spartans’ rally with a run-scoring single to right that plated Uetrecht.

The Terriers managed to tie the game in the top of the 3rd inning and took a late lead, scoring the game-winning run in the top of the 7th.

Manchester 6, Allegheny 5 – 8 Innings – Box Score

Manchester ended its spring trip on a high following an extra-inning victory over Allegheny College.

An error in the field by the Gators helped the Spartans get on the scoreboard first on Saturday afternoon. Sydney Thompson (Logansport, Ind. / Logansport) raced around and score following an error by the Allegheny shortstop. Manchester went ahead 2-0 in the 3rd after Katelynn Skeens (Gas City, Ind / Mississinewa) delivered and RBI single to right. Skeens would end the day with three hits in four at-bats.

Two innings later, MU extended its lead to 3-0 after Makenzi Nyland (Avon, Ind./ Avon) hit an RBI single up the middle.

The Gators battled back in the home half of the 5th, scoring four runs to grab a 4-3 lead.

In the 7th, Sydney Thompson tied the game with a sac fly to to right that scored Krystal Sellers (Bourbon, Ind./Triton). Manchester would add two more runs in the top of the 8th to take a 6-4 lead over the Gators. Makenzi Nyland hit an RBI single through the left side and Corey Uetretch added a sac fly.

Miranda Boggs would also tally three hits in four at-bats against the Gators.

Haley Perez allowed just one run in four innings of relief as she won her third game of the season in the pitcher’s circle.

Manchester (5-5) will travel to St. Mary’s (Ind.) for a doubleheader on Tuesday March 26. Game times will be 3 and 5 p.m.

Walk-Off Winner, Spartans Sweep Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday
NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – Manchester and Ohio Wesleyan battled well into extra innings in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The host Spartans managed to push the game-winning run across the plate with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning for a 4-3 walk-off win. Manchester then completed the Saturday sweep with a 10-5 win in game two.

Game 1 – Manchester 4, Ohio Wesleyan 3 – 12 Innings – Box Score

Manchester got on the scoreboard first, tallying a run in the home half 1st inning. Tyler LaFollette (Warsaw, Ind. / Warsaw) hit an RBI groundout to short that plated Braxton Riley(Fort Wayne, Ind. / Wayne).

In the bottom of the 2nd, Riley gave the Spartans a 2-0 lead after he poked and RBI single down the line in right.

The Battling Bishops would score the game’s next three runs, scoring once in the 4th and twice in the 6th.

MU would tie the game in home half of the 6th inning after a wild pitch allowed Michael Pinarski (Goshen, Ind. / Goshen) to score from third.

Boths teams managed to get runners into scoring position late in game one but neither team could break through until the 12th inning. Manchester got its lead off man on and put runners at second and third with no one out following an error in the field by Ohio Wesleyan. With the infield drawn in, Christian Smith (Indianapolis, Ind. / Mt. Vernon) was hit a slow ground ball up the middle that was fielded by the Ohio Wesleyan shortstop. His throw to home plate, however, was just late as Joe Henschel’s (Huntertown, Ind. / Carroll) head-first slide just beat the tag, giving Manchester a 4-3 walk-off win.

Game 2 – Manchester 10, Ohio Wesleyan 5 – 7 Innings – Box Score

The Spartans completed the Saturday sweep with a 10-5 win in a shortened 7-inning contest.

The Spartans offense clicked early as MU scored seven of its 10 runs in the first two innings.

Nick Rush (Terre Haute, Ind. / Terre Haute North) got the Spartans on the board with a sac fly to center. Manchester then scored six runs in the home half of the 2nd inning. Braxton Riley put Manchester University ahead 3-0 after hitting a two-run single to left. An error and an RBI groundout gave the Spartans a 5-0 lead. Nick Rush capped the six-run second inning with a two-run double to right center.

Manchester added three more runs in the 4th inning. Joe Henschel singled to left that scored Rush. Michael Pinarski then followed with a two-run single down the line in left that put Manchester ahead 10-2.

Canyon McWilliams drove in three of the Bishops’ five runs. Luigi Russo also hit a two-run home run for Ohio Wesleyan.

Austin Kresl (Fort Wayne, Ind. / Carroll) won his second consecutive decision. Kresl finished with four strikeouts. Craig Overpeck (Rockville, Ind. / Rockville) allowed just one hit in 1.2 innings in relief.

The Spartans improved to 4-12 on the young season and will travel to Ohio Wesleyan tomorrow afternoon. The Spartans and Bishops will meet at Noon. Manchester will be back at Gratz Field on Saturday March 30 at Noon against HCAC-foe Hanover College.