Box Score The Little Giant baseball team battled back from a nine-run deficit only to fall short to Manchester University Tuesday afternoon, 15-14.
Tuesday's game was originally scheduled to be played in North Manchester, Indiana but weather conditions forced the venue change. Weather still played a factor in Crawfordsville — wind blew steadily at 25 miles per hour through chilling 38-degree temperatures.
“I think the difference was us giving up free bases early on,” Coach Cory Stevens said. “We outhit them but they got more out of their hits with all the free bases.”
The Spartans (10-2-1) jumped to a 9-0 lead through three innings, but Wabash answered in the bottom of the third with 6 runs.
Tyler Owensby singled home the final run in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game, 9-9.
Manchester tacked on 6 more runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined, but Wabash responded again with five runs through the sixth and seventh innings. Six Spartan errors helped keep the Little Giants close but Wabash couldn't find a run in the final two innings.
“To score 14 runs against a very good team... I'm very proud of that,” Stevens said. “Manchester was a regional qualifier last year with mostly juniors; it was a game away from going to the national championship.”
Tyler Hampton went 2-for3 with 4 RBI and 2 runs at the plate.
Clint Scarborough hit 3 RBI in 4 plate appearances with 2 hits and 3 runs.
Christian Vukas and
David Oliger each had 2 RBI while Lucas Stipler and
Trey Fankhauser chipped in with one a piece.
The 14 runs came without slugger
Montana Timmons in the lineup. Timmons rested after fouling the ball off his left leg on Sunday. He should be available this weekend.
“When everybody is clicking at the plate, we can do a lot of different things with several different guys,” Scarborough said. “We've got a lot of players in the lineup that can get two-three hits a game and also play defense.”
Vukas started the game on the mound but only lasted 2 innings. The bullpen struggled until Widup and Miller shutdown Spartan hitters over the final 3 and 1/3 innings. The team surrendered 10 walks.
Austin Hawn was charged with the loss.
“We used more pitchers than we wanted to, but Vukas gave up some walks early so we went to three or four other guys we wanted to see in this game,” Stevens said. “Later on we brought in some of our starters to get some midweek work.”
Corey Marchant had the best day at the plate for the Spartans—he knocked in 4 RBI on 3-of-5 hitting with 1 run.
The Little Giants continue the homestand at Goodrich Ballpark for their next series. Wilmington College visits for a four-game series over the weekend, with the start of the first game Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
