LOGANSPORT, Ind – The Manchester University softball team earned a thrilling 10-9 Opening Day victory over the Hope College Flying Dutch on Thursday afternoon in Logansport.

Thursday's contest was a back-and-forth affair. The Spartans got on the scoreboard first after tallying a run in the home half of the first inning. Alexis Mokos (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) singled home Kendal Torrence (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) to put MU ahead 1-0.

The Flying Dutch responded with two runs of their own in the top of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, Zoie Penn (Clinton, Ind./Riverton Parke) scored after an error by the Hope catcher. A few batters later, Corey Uetrecht (Leo, Ind./Leo) doubled home a run to give the lead back to Manchester. Page Magner (North Vernon, Ind./Jennings County) added a two-run single to right center during the Spartans' four-run third.

Hope kept within striking distance after scoring twice more in the top of the fourth inning, drawing to within a run at 5-4.

Manchester pieced together another four-run burst, this time coming in the home half of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, Hailey Rivard (Tekonsha, Mich./Union City) laced a two-run single to right that scored Uetretch and Sarah Tribby (Lebanon, Ind./Lebanon). A passed ball and an obstruction call led to the two other Manchester runs.

Hope College battled back once more and went on to score the game's next five runs, including three runs in the top of the seventh inning.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, freshman Gracie Ellis (Bangor, Mich./South Haven) singled to deep right, scoring the game-winning run to lift Manchester to a thrilling 10-9 Opening Day victory.

Manchester (1-0) is slated to host Huntington on Monday March 9 at 3:30 p.m. at the MU Softball Field.

Hope College fell to 0-1 on the season.

Game two of the originally scheduled doubleheader was canceled due to weather.