UPLAND, IND. – Senior infielder Sean Knepper (Bremen, Ind.) homered for the second time in as many games, extending his personal hit streak to 13 games dating back to the end of 2015, to highlight a non-conference with regional National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' power Taylor University Tuesday, March 8.

Knepper's second round tripper of the season and seventh of his career gave the Spartans a 2-0 lead in the top of first at TU's Winterholter Field. Junior right-handed starting pitcher Mason Neuman (Fort Wayne, Ind.) made the blast stand early shutting out the host Trojans for the first two frames before single tallies for the home side in the third and fourth tied the game at 2-2. Neuman closed a solid effort going five innings with only three earned runs on seven hits surrendered to go with two strikeouts in his sixth career start.

Taylor, improving to 9-6, pieced together a late rally with a single run in the sixth, four in the seventh and two in the eighth to build a six-run cushion. Meanwhile, a quartet of pitchers out of their bullpen kept the Spartans' offense at bay, allowing only one run on six hits over the final six innings to wrap up a 9-3 victory.

Sophomore outfielder Eric Knepper (Bremen, Ind.) also had a big night at the plate for the visitors. He finished with three hits in three at-bats while scoring a run.

Manchester University (3-4) resumes a four-game weekly slate Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13. The Spartans face off against Ohio Athletic Conference member John Carroll at 12 p.m. both days with a doubleheader on Saturday and single game on Sunday.