NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind.- The Manchester Softball team hosted Bluffton University for a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) doubleheader against the Beavers on Tuesday, April 16.
The Spartans sweep the Beavers, winning game one 9-2 and game two 9-3. With these wins the Spartans improve to 15-10 overall, 6-2 (HCAC)
GAME 1: MANCHESTER 9, BLUFFTON 2
- Sabrina Leonard (Fillmore, Ind., South Putnam) got the Spartans on the board with a single to left field, bringing home Lexi Goodman (Poplar, Ill. , North Boone )
- Another single from Alee Eaker (Lowell, Ind., Lowell) put the Spartans ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the 1st inning.
- Through 5 innings, Manchester kept the Beavers from scoring and grew their lead by 7.
- In the 6th inning, the Beavers got on the board making the score 2-7.
- Manchester responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs off a Kaitlyn Carr (Valparaiso, Ind., Chesterton) single, finishing the game 9-2.
- As a team, the Spartans recorded 12 hits. Leonard and Carr both went 3-4 at the plate.
- Carr was on the mound for all seven innings, recording three strikeouts and holding the Beavers to 6 hits. The win advances her to 5-1 on the season.
GAME 2: MANCHESTER 9, BLUFFTON 3
- Bluffton was first on the board, scoring two runs to start the 1st inning.
- Manchester tied the score at 2-2 thanks to a pair of doubles from Lizzy Willis (Yorktown, Ind., Yorktown), and Sabrina.
- An Eaker single got the lead for the Spartans, making it 3-2 at the bottom of the 1st inning.
- In the next two innings the Spartans' offensive efficiency continued scoring four more runs making the score 7-2 in the 3rd inning.
- Both teams remained scoreless until the 6th inning when Manchester's Alyssa Janik (Hobart, Ind., Hobart) homered over center field, making it 9-2.
- Bluffton's final effort was cut short, with Manchester winning 9-3.
- As a team, the Spartans recorded 14 hits, including six extra-base hits. Leonard went 3-4 at the plate with three doubles.
- Tori Blough (Huntertown, Ind., Carroll) earned her third win of the season in the circle for the Black and Gold, throwing a complete 7.0 innings and striking out three batters.
UP NEXT
- Manchester returns to the MU Softball Field on Friday, April 19 as they host the University of Olivet in a nonconference doubleheader.
- Action for game one will begin at 3:30 p.m. with game two to follow.