Manhattan High (4-2) baseball split a double header against Washburn Rural on Friday on the road. 

The Indians’ bats got rolling early in the first game, scoring just four pitches into the game, and Manhattan led 3-0 after inning number two before having a five-hit, six-run fourth inning. However, Manhattan’s highlight of game one was not on offense, but on the mound. Senior Cade Perkins pitched a perfect no hitter in Friday’s 10-0 win in game one. 

“I just kept trying to get ahead on the batter, while also trying to keep my pitch count low. That’s really been my strategy the last two games,” Perkins said. “It feels really good. We obviously wanted the sweep, but to throw a no-hitter in my senior season is really special.” 

However, Manhattan dropped game 2 in extra innings. The Indians struggled on the mound early on game 2, giving up many free passes on base. The Indians hit four batters and walked seven, giving the Junior Blues an early 5-1 lead after two innings. Manhattan would respond with a huge six-run top of the third. 

The game continued to go back and forth, with Manhattan up three heading into the last inning. However the Junior Blues would get all three runs back, before winning it in the bottom of the eighth. 

“We really need to balance our scoring better,” Perkins said. “We scored six runs in one inning in game two and only put up one run in the following two innings. So we’ve just got to keep our foot on the pedal, and keep putting runs on the board throughout the game.”

Manhattan (4-2) will be back in action Friday night against Emporia (3-1) at home.