DEFIANCE, OHIO – A two-run single by Manchester University junior catcher Elliot Ford (Rome City, Ind.) proved to the difference in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference clash Tuesday, April 21.
Ford's safety plated sophomore first baseman Tailur Szarenski (Bluffton, Ind.) and senior outfielder Kyle Norris (Indianapolis, Ind.), breaking up a 12-12 tie to lead to a 14-12 win. Senior Justin Miller (Yorktown, Ind.), the reigning HCAC Position Player of the Week, resumed a solid bullpen effort in Defiance College's section of the ninth, working around a lead-off walk with a strikeout and back-to-back fly outs.
The frenetic finish was part of a back-and-forth battle throughout the afternoon at DC's Craig A. Rutter Field. Ford, starting a four-hit, five-RBI day, ripped a two-run single as part of a three-run second for a 3-1 Spartans' lead, but DC (14-14 overall, 9-10 HCAC) answered with 10 runs over the third through fifth innings for a 11-5 lead. MU (18-11 overall, 11-8 HCAC) produced a comeback of their own to set up the final inning comeback, plating six runs in the sixth highlighted by a three-run home run from senior third baseman Jordan Nieman (Michigan City, Ind.).
Miller's second successive pitching decision, pushing his record to 3-2, saw him lock up the Yellowjacket bats to the tune of only a run on two hits while striking out six over three frames. The Black and Gold offense supported the line with five players tallying multiple-hit contests, led by Ford. Nieman, Norris, Szarenski, and senior second baseman Logan Hug (Indianapolis, Ind.) ended with two safeties apiece.
Manchester University resumes its season series with Defiance College Wednesday, April 22. The two teams meet at MU's Gratz Field for a 4:15 p.m. contest.
NOTES: The Spartans' four-game win streak is the second-longest of the season. The team captured eight in a row to close their Florida spring trip and open conference play … Nieman's hit and on-base streaks ran to 31, while Szarenski and Norris increased their on-base rolls to 32 and 25, respectively … MU's sixth straight win in the series against DC tightened up the HCAC standings even more. They moved into a tie for fourth with Earlham College, just a half-game behind Rose-Hulman for third and a game and a half out of first.