TERRE HAUTE, IND. – Sophomore right-hander Brandon Eck (Fort Wayne, Ind.) fired a complete game victory in game one, highlighting the beginning of a weekend clash between Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference first and second-place squads Friday, April 29.

Eck stopped the host Fightin' Engineers in route to a 9-1 victory for the Spartans. He worked through nine hits, striking out two and not issuing a walk over 115 pitches. His offense was just as stellar with sophomore outfielder Eric Knepper (Bremen, Ind.) provided Rose-Hulman's pitching staff plenty of discomfort with three hits which included two home runs and driving in four runs. Junior outfielder Chad Schultz (Fair Oaks, Ind.) and senior designated hitter Nick Latham (LaPorte, Ind.) added two safeties apiece to the 10-hit effort.

Having slimmed the home team's edge on the league standings to a game and a half at the conclusion of the opener, MU (20-15 overall, 14-8 HCAC), who reached 20 victories for an eighth straight year with their game one decision, looked to edge closer in the nightcap. Junior infielder Tailur Szarenski (Bluffton, Ind.) and Schultz each drilled two-baggers with Szarenski collecting three RBIs including one in the first that gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage after an inning and a half. However, Rose-Hulman (23-9 overall, 15-5 HCAC) answered the visitors' first game outburst with a 13-run, 14-hit effort to claim a 13-5 decision.

The two teams wrap up the set Saturday, April 30, with a 12 p.m. single, nine-inning game.