North Manchester, Ind.  – The Transylvania baseball team used an offensive explosion and another effective outing from Jake Schmidt to split a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon with the Manchester University Spartans at Gratz Field.
 
The Pioneers stormed out to an early lead and ended the first game in a 12-2 seven inning rout while the Spartans held Transylvania at bay in a 9-5 Pioneer defeat in the second contest.
 
Transylvania retains its lead atop the HCAC standings, moving to 17-8 both overall and in conference play while Manchester moves to 11-15 overall and in HCAC play.
 
An early eruption of offense in the first contest set the tone as the Pioneers looked to pressure the Spartans in the first inning. After placing runners aboard on a pair of singles and a walk, a throwing error by Manchester allowed Wade Lopiccolo to cross home plate and score the opening run.
 
Nick Wade took further advantage of the bases-loaded situation by lacing a single through the right side to score two runs. A wild pitch pushed another run across for the Pioneers while Devyn Wilson-Cowan launched a two-run home run, his third straight in as many games, over the left-field fence to cap off the inning and vault Transylvania in front, 6-0.  
 
The Pioneers continued to put the pedal to the metal as Wade provided a sacrifice fly RBI to score Hudson Chastain in the second inning. Lopiccolo duplicated the feat in the third inning by using another sacrifice fly RBI to push the Pioneer advantage out to 8-0.
 
Manchester attempted to rally in the fourth by plating a pair of runs. The attempt was thwarted in the fifth inning as the Pioneers struck back with another big inning. Trent Pahl shot a double down the left field line to score two runs. A Lopiccolo sacrifice fly RBI coupled with a throwing error by Manchester, and a Chastain RBI single extended the Pioneer lead out to its final margin of 12-2.
 
Jake Schmidt remained dominant on the mound and improved to 6-0 on the year by working six innings, collecting seven strikeouts, while surrendering two runs on eight hits.
 
Wilson-Cowan led the offensive assault by going 2 for 3 with a home run, a single, two RBI, and two runs scored.
 
The Pioneers sought to carry over their offensive firepower to the second contest as Lopiccolo remained hot at the plate. The senior lined an RBI double to right in the first inning to give Transy an early 1-0 lead. Manchester immediately answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first to surge ahead at 3-1.  
 
The lead continued to see-saw as Trent Pahl drove home Matt Broadwater with a single and throwing error by the Manchester defense. Trent Youngblood legged out an infield single to bring around Pahl, and Lopiccolo shot an RBI double to deep centerfield to regain the lead for the Pioneers at 4-3 in the second inning.
 
A sacrifice fly RBI from Wade scored the final run for the Pioneers in the third inning before the offense came to a halt. The Spartans went on to score three runs in the bottom of the inning to reclaim the lead for good. Manchester added insurance runs in the fourth and fifth inning to work its way to a 9-5 lead, one which held for the rest of the afternoon.
 
Wade Lopiccolo shined for the Pioneers by going 3 for 5 with two doubles, one single, and two RBI.
 
Evan Hall carded the loss and moved to 3-2 on the year by throwing 2.1 innings while surrendering six runs, four earned, on six hits.
 
The Pioneers are slated for another doubleheader tomorrow, Sunday April 17^th, at Legends Ballpark in Lexington, Kentucky. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.  
 
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