May 8 -- Jackets earn first HC Tourney berth with 4-3 win

--North Manchester, Ind.--The DC Yellow Jackets have qualified for the Heartland Conference Tournament after earning a split with the #23 Manchester Spartans in North Manchester Saturday afternoon.

DC won game one, 4-3, on the strength of seven-inning performance by senior Eric Sprague, striking out four and allowing just one earned run. Freshman Lenny Koesters led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run. Richard Trick, Brett Kopp, and Mike Hill each went 2-for-4 in the contest.

The Jackets took an early 3-0 lead, scoring a run in the first and two in the second. After a Koesters double to start the game, he was eventually moved to third by a Jake Linder sacrifice and scored on a Ryan Leininger ground-out. Jeremy Hawkins and Hill both scored in the second inning to give DC the early lead.

Manchester answered back in the fourth and fifth with a solo homer and a two-RBI double. Defiance got the deciding run in the sixth when Koesters smashed his second double of the day, scoring Hill. Sprague closed out the game by striking out the last two batters he faced in the seventh.

In the second game, DC was held to one hit, losing 0-14. The Jackets are now 15-22 on the year with a 10-10 conference mark.

DC will host Manchester today (Sunday) at 4:00 p.m. Currently the tournament’s #3 seed, the Jackets can climb to the second seed with a win today.