RICHMOND, Ind. — Smiles were on the faces of most of the people in Randal R. Sadler Stadium on Sunday as the Earlham College baseball team celebrated Senior Day.
But the biggest grins at the end of the day came from the players as they celebrated a 5-2 victory over Manchester University (23-12, 17-5), which leads the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
With the win, Earlham is now 20-16 overall and 11-11 in the HCAC, which puts them in sixth place. The 20 victories are the most in school history in the NCAA era and fourth most all-time. The win also ensured that the Quakers would have a winning season for the first time since 1971.
Sunday's game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when the Quakers took a 4-0 lead.
Thomas Rea singled to begin the frame. Ryan McCray reached on a fielder's choice as he was attempting to sacrifice bunt. Ted Williams singled to load the bases with no outs.
Ryan Hayes hit a grounder that the Manchester third baseman grabbed and threw wildly to first, which allowed Rea and McCray to score.
Alex Arovits and Eric Elkus each knocked in a run with singles to put the Quakers up by four.
Earlham starter Zach Lee continued to put zeros on the scoreboard until the eighth when the Spartans scored twice.
Lee (6-1) left in favor of T.J. Plummer, who got the final out of the eighth. Lee gave up two unearned runs on six hits with four strikeouts. The six wins for Lee, tie him with several players for the second most victories in a season.
Leading 4-2 going into the bottom of the eighth, the Quakers picked up a run on a long home run to left over the Maroon Monster by Williams. It was the 14th of his career, which is third best in Earlham history.
Plummer then slammed the door on the Spartans in the ninth to earn his record fifth save of the season. He now has 12 saves as Earlham's all-time leader.
Rea, Williams and Arovits led the Quakers with two hits apiece.
The Quakers travel to Anderson University on Friday for the final conference series of the regular season. The teams meet for a single game at 4:15 p.m.
But the biggest grins at the end of the day came from the players as they celebrated a 5-2 victory over Manchester University (23-12, 17-5), which leads the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
With the win, Earlham is now 20-16 overall and 11-11 in the HCAC, which puts them in sixth place. The 20 victories are the most in school history in the NCAA era and fourth most all-time. The win also ensured that the Quakers would have a winning season for the first time since 1971.
Sunday's game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when the Quakers took a 4-0 lead.
Thomas Rea singled to begin the frame. Ryan McCray reached on a fielder's choice as he was attempting to sacrifice bunt. Ted Williams singled to load the bases with no outs.
Ryan Hayes hit a grounder that the Manchester third baseman grabbed and threw wildly to first, which allowed Rea and McCray to score.
Alex Arovits and Eric Elkus each knocked in a run with singles to put the Quakers up by four.
Earlham starter Zach Lee continued to put zeros on the scoreboard until the eighth when the Spartans scored twice.
Lee (6-1) left in favor of T.J. Plummer, who got the final out of the eighth. Lee gave up two unearned runs on six hits with four strikeouts. The six wins for Lee, tie him with several players for the second most victories in a season.
Leading 4-2 going into the bottom of the eighth, the Quakers picked up a run on a long home run to left over the Maroon Monster by Williams. It was the 14th of his career, which is third best in Earlham history.
Plummer then slammed the door on the Spartans in the ninth to earn his record fifth save of the season. He now has 12 saves as Earlham's all-time leader.
Rea, Williams and Arovits led the Quakers with two hits apiece.
The Quakers travel to Anderson University on Friday for the final conference series of the regular season. The teams meet for a single game at 4:15 p.m.