NORTH MANCHESTER — The Manchester High School baseball team beat the darkness, but not the Rochester Zebras Wednesday. After lightning was spotted with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Three Rivers Conference game was delayed an hour and 15 minutes before play resumed and the host Squires lost 7-3. The loss dropped Manchester to 1-14 overall and 0-5 in the TRC, and seems to be taking its toll on coach Jack Rupley. “We just seem to have that one inning where we struggle a little bit,” he said. “We don’t have pitchers that are going to strike out a lot of people, so we have to be real good at hitting spots. If we miss spots, and we get fat with people, they’re going to smack the baseball. Sometimes, that’s inevitable, and that’s what seems to happen to us.” The past four years, Manchester’s had the benefit of having a Division I pitcher, including 2011 graduate Scott Baker (Ball State) and 2012 grad Connor McLaughlin (IPFW). Now, the Squires are relying more on their defense, which hasn’t been strong enough and committed three errors against Rochester, allowing three unearned runs. “We have to play good defense behind (the pitcher),” Rupley said. “If we don’t get good defense behind our pitchers, that’s going to make us struggle. That’s kind of been the story of our season.” Despite the rocky defense, Manchester still had a chance against the Zebras (9-9, 3-2 TRC) once play resumed after the delay. With the dark clouds moved out of the area, taking the thunder with them, Rochester added to its 5-1 lead in the top of the sixth with two unearned runs. Down 7-1, Manchester loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, and senior Jim Sainsbury brought two home on a single, cutting the deficit to 7-3. Following a walk to senior Jurgin Cripe, the tying run came to the plate in the form of senior Justin Lewis, who flew out to shallow left field to end the threat. That opportunity was golden, but it wasn’t Manchester’s only one. In the first inning, Sainsbury and Cripe were stranded at third and second base, respectively. In all, Manchester left 11 runners on base, seven in scoring position, three at third base. “We’ll get two guys on, but not get them around,” Rupley said. “That can make a big difference in a season. We’re not getting that two-out hit with people in scoring position.” The top of Rochester’s lineup also gave Manchester all it could handle. Rochester’s freshman leadoff hitter Alec Holland was 4 for 5 with two runs and an RBI, followed by sophomore J. Heckathorn, who went 3 for 4 and also posted two runs and an RBI. For Manchester, Sainsbury was 2 for 4 with the two-run single in the sixth and senior leadoff hitter Evan Olinger finished the game 2 for 4 with an RBI. With all their struggles this year, the Squires can only look forward to the postseason as a way to salvage the year. “Hopefully we can turn this around come tournament time,” Rupley said. “That’s our goal right now.” Prior to the postseason, Manchester must first play out the regular season, which continues Friday at home against Heritage.
ROCHESTER 7, MANCHESTER 3 R 210 202 0 – 7 11 1 M 000 102 0 – 3 7 3 Taylor Medina (W, 4IP, 1R, 1ER, 4H, 5K, 3BB, 1HB), Alec Holland (5, 1IP, 0R, 1H, 0K, 0BB), Tanner Hampton (6, 2IP, 2R, 2ER, 2H, 3K, 2BB, 1HB) and Tanner Hampton, Carter Screeton (6); Cody Harlan (L, 5-2/3IP, 7R, 4ER, 9H, 2K, 3BB, 1HB), Dellynn Benton (6, 1-1/3IP, 0R, 2H, 0K, 1BB) and Thad Miller 2B – Alec Holland (R), J. Heckathorn (R) Records: Rochester 9-9 (3-2 TRC), Manchester 1-14 (0-5 TRC)
