WESTFIELD, IND. – Senior shortstop Sean Knepper (Bremen, Ind.) clouted a solo home run in the top of the second inning, giving Manchester University a strong start in its weekend series' finale against North Coast Athletic Conference opponent DePauw University Sunday, March 6.

However, the Tigers (2-4), holding the home side of the scoreboard duties at Grand Park Diamond #1, rallied with a solo shot from starting pitcher Mike Hammel in their half of the second and took the lead for good in the following frame with four runs, spotlighted by a bases-clearing triple from right fielder Lucas Italiano, in route to an 11-3 victory. MU, dipping to 3-3, mounted a brief comeback in the top of the eighth, as junior outfielder Chad Schultz (Fair Oaks, Ind.) drove in a pair of runs on a single, but the Spartans couldn't ebb any closer.

Knepper and Schultz' plate efforts buoyed the Black and Gold offense. Pushing a current personal hit streak to 12 straight which dates back to the end of 2015, Knepper, registering his third multiple-hit game of 2016, went three for four with the home run, a run scored and RBI. Schultz wound up with a healthy afternoon stat line, too, registering two hits in four attempts to go along with the two RBI in producing his second multiple-hit and third multiple-RBI conclusion of the season.

Manchester University is scheduled to begin the home portion of its campaign Tuesday, March 8. Taylor University makes the trip to Gratz Field for a 3 p.m. single nine-inning game.

NOTES: Despite being tagged for 11 runs, the Spartans' pitching staff did get a silver lining from the bullpen duo of freshman John Magers (Noblesville, Ind.) and junior Mason Neuman (Fort Wayne, Ind.). They combined to limit DePauw to one hit over the final two frames, facing just six batters.