North Manchester, Ind. - Manchester softball finished the weekend with a 2–2 record across four games at the MU Softball Field, highlighted by a conference split with Rose-Hulman and an impressive shutout win over Albion on Sunday.

Game One:
Manchester opened Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play Saturday afternoon against Rose-Hulman. The Spartans stayed competitive early but were unable to keep pace with the Engineers' offensive surge in the middle innings, ultimately falling 10–1.

Manchester tallied seven hits in the contest and broke through to score in the bottom of the fifth inning. Erin Singleton led the Spartans at the plate, reaching base three times with two hits and a walk while also adding a stolen base. Despite working runners on throughout the game, Manchester was unable to capitalize on several scoring opportunities.

Game Two:
Later in the day, Manchester responded with a strong performance in the second game of the doubleheader, rallying for a 7–5 win to earn a conference split.

The Spartans struck first and held the advantage into the middle innings before Rose-Hulman briefly edged ahead. Manchester answered in the bottom of the sixth inning with a decisive five-run rally, sending 10 batters to the plate and recording six hits in the frame.

Sabrina Leonard delivered a key two-run hit during the rally, while Singleton, Crystal Cooke, and Lexi Goodman each drove in runs. Manchester finished the game with 14 hits overall.

In the circle, Lizzy Willis turned in a complete-game effort, working through seven innings to secure the victory and hold off a late Rose-Hulman rally.
Game Three:

Manchester returned to action Sunday in a non-conference doubleheader against Albion. The Spartans dropped the opener, 14–2, after Albion jumped out to an early lead.

Despite the result, Manchester showed resilience at the plate, collecting nine hits. Kendal Rider recorded a standout performance, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. Singleton added an RBI as Manchester plated runs in both the first and fourth innings.
Game Four:

Manchester closed the weekend on a high note in the second game against Albion, earning an 8–0 shutout victory in five innings.

The Spartans took control early with four runs in the first inning and three more in the second, consistently pressuring Albion's defense with aggressive baserunning and quality at-bats. Manchester finished with 10 hits and five stolen bases in the game.

Rider led the offense with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, scoring twice, driving in two runs, and stealing two bases. Olivia Roney added a two-RBI double, while Willis delivered a two-run single during the early surge.

In the circle, Kara Burgan delivered a dominant performance, tossing a five-inning complete-game shutout. Burgan allowed just two hits, did not issue a walk, and helped Manchester secure its first shutout of the season.

Manchester totaled 40 hits across the four games and finished the weekend with momentum heading into the next stretch of the season.