LEXINGTON, KY. – A late-innings comeback and a fast start helped guide Manchester University to 8-7 and 11-7 wins over Transylvania University in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference action Saturday, March 21.
MU, pushing their win streak to seven, trailed the host Pioneers (3-10, 0-4 HCAC) 7-2 through six frames in the opener at TU's Marquard Field. However, the Black and Gold offense, as it has done throughout the team's 10-3 overall and 3-0 HCAC start, answered the bell. They struck for four hits, including a pair of two-run home runs from senior third baseman Jordan Nieman (Michigan City, Ind.) and senior outfielder Justin Miller (Yorktown, Ind.), in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-6.
Nieman, two frames later, came back up in the visitors' final at-bat and delivered. He got a pitch from TU relief pitcher Adam Boone and hammered it over the fence with two outs, scoring junior outfielder Sean Knepper (Bremen, Ind.) ahead of him, to put the Spartans up 8-7. Freshman pitcher Taylor Kopplin (Westport, Ind.), who entered the weekend ranked among the league's top five in earned run average, worked his way around a walk, striking out two to pick up his third save.
Manchester University kept its momentum going to open the third and final contest of the series. Sparked by a five-run sixth that featured a two-run single from sophomore first baseman Tailur Szarenski (Bluffton, Ind.), the Black and Gold roared out to a 9-3 lead. Transylvania pulled to within 9-7 with four in the home half of the eighth and appeared ready to move even closer before Nieman stepped to the mound and induced a bases-loaded fly out to end the rally. Miller picked up a run-scoring single, and junior catcher Elliott Nieman (Rome City, Ind.) scored on a wild pitch for a pair of key tallies in the ninth. Miller came in from his outfield slot and retired three home hitters in a row with a runner on in the home half to seal the decision.
The Spartans open the home portion of their 2015 schedule when league rival Anderson University comes to Gratz Field Tuesday, March 24. First pitch is 4:15 p.m.
NOTES: Nieman, wrapping up the weekend set with a .500 average and 1.500 slugging percentage behind four home runs and a triple, upped his hit streak to 16 and on-base string to 17 … Szarenski's on-base streak increased to 17, too, as he clouted five hits in the twinbill, while senior outfielder Kyle Norris (Indianapolis, Ind.), who had five hits, two runs scored and three RBIs over the 18 innings, upped his hit string to 15 straight contests … MU has won 43 of its last 53 league games dating back through 2013.