NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – Guided by a six-run eighth inning outburst, the Indiana Tech Warriors baseball program upended NCAA Division III opponent Manchester University, 8-4, on Tuesday evening at Gratz Field in North Manchester, Indiana.
Despite only registering just two runs prior to the late rally, the Warriors still managed to claim an early lead in the second inning. Catcher
Alex Vydick supplied the game's opening score, reaching base on a hit by pitch before advancing home on a
Reese Olden single to give the Orange and Black a 1-0 advantage.
After the sides exchanged scoreless at-bats, the Spartan offensive came alive in the bottom of the third inning, plating three runs against Indiana Tech starting pitcher
Andrew Hammond. The freshman's day would end just after the third stanza, but the Warrior bullpen provided superb relief pitching to aid their starter. Five relievers would combine to throw six innings of one-run baseball to keep the game close at hand, allowing the comeback opportunity.
The Indiana Tech rally started in the sixth inning when outfielder
Bobby Bennett crushed a solo home run to trim the deficit to 3-2.
The score would hold until the eighth inning when the Warrior offense roared to life.
Brandon Burch got things rolling for the away side, providing a squeeze bunt to bring home
Branson Dossen and knot the game. The very next batter, pinch hitter
Matt Bandor, launched a three-run blast off the bench to give the visitors their first lead, 6-3, since the third inning.
Rico Caravalho would cap off the six-run eighth frame, blasting a home run of his own into left field to score two more.
The Spartans would score their remaining run in the bottom of the ninth and threatened again with the bases loaded before
Austin Kemp induced a double play to end the evening.
Bennett would pace the Warrior offense in the victory, contributing two hits, two runs scored, and one RBI. Meanwhile, Bandor produced three RBI and Caravalho added two while each registered a round-tripper in their lone plate appearances. Relief pitcher
Zach Reinig was credited the win after tossing one inning of hitless work with one strikeout.
The Warriors (22-14) return to Warrior Field tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader date with Aquinas College. The first matchup will be a WHAC contest while the second will be a nonconference affair. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
