FRANKLIN, IND. – A 10th straight 20-plus-win campaign and 20th time advancing to the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in the last 22 seasons brought its curtain down at Franklin College's John P. McDowell Field Friday, May 11.
Manchester University, dipping to 20-22, was upended by league rival Anderson University in the back-and-forth 6-5 final during an elimination contest at the league tournament. Coach Rick Espeset's side rallied back from 3-0 and 5-3 deficits to forge 3-3 and 5-5 ties before the Ravens plated a run in the eighth and then worked around Spartan baserunners in the eighth and ninth frames, including the potential tying run advancing to third in the final at-bat, to preserve the decision.
Three MU players turned in multiple-hit afternoons. Sophomore designated hitter Joe Gallatin (Muncie, Ind.), extending a personal hit string to seven straight games, tallied four safeties, and junior second baseman Christian Smith (Fortville, Ind.) and junior catcher Matt Pritz (LaPorte, Ind.) picked up a pair of hits each.
After a tough start for junior pitcher Jordan Hilyard (Decatur, Ind.), the home team bullpen kept the opposition within striking range. Junior John Magers (Goshen, Ind.), senior Brandon Eck (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and senior Taylor Kopplin (Westport, Ind.) locked down the Ravens on five hits while giving up one earned run over the final six frames.