NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. – Freshman catcher Sydney Thompson (Logansport, Ind.) belted a key three-run home run in the nightcap Sunday, May 1, leading Manchester University to a 3-2 win over Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association foe Kalamazoo College.

Thompson's fifth round tripper of the season scored senior designated player Kaile Niezgodski (South Bend, Ind.) and senior infielder Jessica Chorak (Hammond, Ind.) in front of her in the home half of the third. It was all the offense sophomore starting pitcher Mallorie Jennings (Bourbon, Ind.) needed to pick up her second win, as she worked around 10 visiting side hits, leaving 10 Hornets' runners on the base paths. Niezgodski and Thompson lifted the offense with two hits each.

MU, closing the regular season at 20-16 to mark the program's and Class of 2016's second 20-wins-or-more effort in four years, nearly rallied back in the opener to wrap up their home slate with a sweep. After Kalamazoo (11-24) took advantage of an error and two-run double in the fifth for a 3-1 edge, the Spartans brought the home crowd to their feet in the last at-bat. Niezgodski, concluding another multiple-hit effort, bashed a lead-off triple and scored on an RBI sacrifice fly by Chorak to cut the deficit to 3-2. However, the Hornet's Erin DuRoss managed to force a pop up and ground out to elude the threat.

NOTES: Coach Josh Dzurick, his staff and the squad honored the quartet of Chorak, Niezgodski, infielder/pitcher MacKenzie Williams (Kendallville, Ind.) and outfielder Ashley Stahl (Wheatland, Ind.) between contests. The group's resume included the 2013 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference title and postseason tournament top seed and hosting duties along with 69 wins, two above-500 finishes and two conference postseason tournament berths.