RICHMOND – The Earlham College baseball team swept Manchester University with two walk-off wins in the first doubleheader of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference season in Sadler Stadium on Saturday.
GAME ONE: EARLHAM 7 MANCHESTER 6
Hayden Scalf got the start in the Saturday opener with six innings pitched, three strikeouts and four earned runs. The freshman faced one batter over the minimum through three scoreless innings to start the game.
Nick Carrizales pitched two innings in relief with a pair of strikeouts. Cason Bennet earned the win with one inning pitched and one strikeout in the ninth.
Ian Bullis and
Mac Moore led the Quakers on offense with two hits and three RBI each.
Nathan Lancianese had three hits with one run scored and one RBI, while
Christian Lancianese had three doubles for three runs scored.
The Spartans took the lead in the top of the fourth inning with a two-run double, followed by a groundout for a run. With
Christian Lancianese on second base after a double in the bottom of the frame, Bullis knocked a single through the left side, good for an RBI.
Manchester extended its lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth inning by hitting a single with runners on the corners.
Bullis recorded a two-run single in the bottom of the inning to bring the score to 4-3 in favor of the visitors. Earlham loaded the bases with two outs, but a pop up ended the Quaker opportunity.
After Earlham loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning, Moore delivered a two-out single into left center field to clear all three runners home and give EC the lead 6-4.
The Spartans scored on a two-run homer in the top of the ninth.
Christian Lancianese hit a double to be the first EC baserunner in the bottom of the ninth, and after stealing third base, he was brought home on a walk-off single by his brother to center field.
GAME TWO: EARLHAM 5 MANCHESTER 4
Christian Lancianese led Earlham in game two with two hits for three RBI, including a homer and a double.
Justin Dillhoff started game two and threw 6.1 innings with five strikeouts and three runs. Bennet earned his second win of the day after throwing one inning with two strikeouts.
The Quakers took the lead in the bottom of the first inning off of an RBI double from Fries.
Christian Lancianese added to the lead with an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning to bring
Easton Embry home.
Trailing 2-0, the Spartans scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning, and scored a sacrifice run in the eighth.
With Manchester leading 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth,
Christian Lancianese hit a two-run shot over the left field fence to tie the game with no outs in the inning. With one out, Moore knocked a base hit down the right field line for the walk-off score and the series win for EC.
The Quakers will be back in action on Tuesday evening in Sadler Stadium against Alma College. First pitch is slated for 5 pm.
