NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – The Manchester University softball team hosted rival Anderson at the Manchester Softball Field on Thursday afternoon.  The Spartans and Ravens split a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader.  Manchester took game one by a 6-5 final.  The Ravens rallied to win game two by a final score of 7-6. 

Game 1 Manchester 6, Anderson 5 – Box Score

Manchester overcame a four-run deficit and battled to a 6-5 victory in the first game on Thursday afternoon against the Ravens.

Anderson got on the board in the top of the second inning following a solo home run by Sierra Cunningham.  Anderson would add three runs in the top of the fourth to increase its lead to 4-0.

The Spartans would battle back in the fourth inning.  Makenzi Nyland (Avon, Ind. / Avon) got the Spartans on the scoreboard with an RBI single to right.  Sydney Thompson (Logansport, Ind. / Logansport) followed with a run-scoring single to left.  Haley Perez (Portage, Ind. / Portage) smacked a double to left-center field that drove in the third MU run of the inning. The Spartans tied the game at 4-4 after an error in the field by the Ravens.

Anderson answered right back and briefly took a one-run lead after plating a run in the top of the fifth inning. Manchester would rally once more and take the lead for good following a two-run bottom of the fifth.

Katelynn Skeens (Gas City, Ind. / Mississinewa) homered for the third time this season to tie the game at 5-5.  An RBI single to center by Perez scored Nyland and gave MU a 6-5 edge. 

Lizzie Smith (Indianapolis, Ind. / Franklin Central) pitched her fifth complete game of the season and picked up her fourth win of 2019.

Game 2 Anderson 7, Manchester 6 – Box Score

The Ravens used a six-run fifth inning and held off a late Manchester rally for a 7-6 victory in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader.

Manchester got off to a good start early.  An error by Anderson allowed the first Manchester to run score.  The Spartans went ahead 2-0 after an RBI single by Katelynn Skeens.

Manchester University took a 5-1 lead after a three-run home run by freshman Corey Uetrecht (Leo, Ind. / Leo).  It was Uetrecht's first career home run for the Black and Gold. 

Anderson managed to string together a rally, scoring six runs in the top of the fifth to take a two-run lead.

The Spartans nearly completed the comeback rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.  An error by Anderson allowed Mikaylie Whybrew (Kokomo, Ind. / Maconaquah) to score from third, bringing the Spartans within a run.

The Ravens managed to escape a bases loaded jam to hang on for the one-run win.

Manchester now sits at 9-11, 4-2 HCAC.  The Ravens moved to 11-7, 3-3 HCAC on the season.  Manchester will host Kalamazoo in a doubleheader on Saturday April 13 that will begin at 1 p.m. at the Manchester Softball Field.