A pair of critical Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference match-ups takes to the diamond at Earlham College's Randal R. Sadler Field in Richmond, Ind., Sunday, May 6.

Game details: First pitch between Manchester University (18-20 overall, 8-8 HCAC) and Earlham (23-13 overall, 7-9 HCAC) is 12 p.m. … Live audio, statistics, and video are accessible via links at www.muspartans.com, the Internet home of Manchester University athletics.

Spartan Shorts: Four statistical categories rank in the league's top 10 going into the weekend. Senior pitcher Taylor Kopplin (Westport, Ind.) is the leader among those, as he's fourth in strikeouts (54) and among five individuals sporting six victories in first. A trio featuring senior Brandon Eck (Fort Wayne, Ind.), junior John Magers (Goshen, Ind.) and senior Garrett Phelps (Covington, Ind.) is tied for eighth in saves (two each), and sophomore first baseman Nick Rush (Terre Haute, Ind.) is eighth in batting average (.371) … MU opened its week against highly-touted National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' member Taylor University May 6. The Trojans, Crossroads League runners-up and sporting better than 40 victories, posted a 15-run, 19-hit barrage spotlighted by ten runs over the first two frames on their home Winterholter Field in Upland, Ind., in route to a 15-0, seven-inning triumph. MU's offense did collect six safeties, including two from freshman third baseman Joe Henschel (Huntertown, Ind.), while senior outfielder Alec Trzeciak (Charlotte, Mich.); junior catcher Matt Pritz (LaPorte, Ind.); senior outfielder Eric Knepper (Bremen, Ind.); and sophomore designated hitter Joe Gallatin (Muncie, Ind.) added one each.