After knocking off then-unbeaten Hayden on Friday, Manhattan High baseball head coach Don Hess said Tuesday’s games versus Emporia were big games.

Manhattan won both of them.

The Indians (9-9, 7-9) swept Emporia Tuesday afternoon in Manhattan with 7-1 and 11-2 wins. Hess said that while there were a couple of areas he would have seen improvement in, he was pleased overall with the sweep.

“I thought we played pretty well through and through,” Hess said. “Obviously, we still had some mental mistakes; some at-bats we’d like to have differently. But with the exception of the Highland Park doubleheader, that’s the first back-to-back games that we’ve really played well.”

The doubleheader marked the final time the senior class competed at Norvell Field, one that Hess said praised after the games.

“This is a great group of guys,” Hess said. “They’re fun to be around; they like playing baseball; they like being around each other. We’re going to miss them, but we miss senior classes every year. This group, they’re giving everything they have. Hopefully we can figure out how to make it to State and let them enjoy it a bit longer.”

Senior Garrett Francis started on the hill in the first game and pitched four innings, allowing two hits and five walks while striking out three. Tuesday was the first time the senior had pitched since May 1, and Hess said Francis is crucial to the team’s strategy.

“Garrett is critical,” Hess said. “Because of his competitive nature and his understanding of the game of baseball, he’s a guy we have to have on the mound. But at the same time, he probably isn’t in a position where he can throw a complete game, so trying to find a role for him that we can maximize, but yet at the same time allows him to be effective, is obviously an ongoing challenge.”

Sophomore Nick Wohler took up pitching duties for game two and surrendered two walks, five hits, two earned runs and recorded four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

In the first game, both teams’ offenses were stifled until the third frame. The Indians drew first blood in the bottom half of the inning when senior Jesse Steinbring unloaded a two-out, two-run double into left-center field to put his squad up 2-0. Manhattan then added three more runs in the fourth via an Emporia passed ball and a two-RBI single from junior Tanner Holen, giving MHS a 5-0 spread.

Holen relieved Francis on the mound in the fifth and finished off the inning with two strikeouts and a pop out.

Emporia struck next with a run in the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-1, but Manhattan responded with two of its own in the bottom half of the frame when Holen singled home junior Darien Stokes and scored when Steinbring grounded out. The Indians held a 7-1 lead after six complete and didn’t let go of the advantage. The home team took game one, and Hess explained that he was pleased to see his team’s offensive production.

“Some of our guys have needed some confidence and they were able to gain some of that, hopefully, tonight,” Hess said. “Hopefully we continue to make progress.”

The second game saw Manhattan plate one in the first inning, an RBI single from Francis that scored Holen. The Indians scored three more in the third off the bat of Francis and his one-run base hit, and the other two scored off Emporia fielding errors. The advantage was Manhattan, 4-0, after three complete.

The Indians kept the scoring coming in the fourth, and Holen, after recording two hits in the first three frames, was once again the instigator of the big inning. The junior’s leadoff base knock set up Steinbring to score him, and Steinbring launched a double onto the warning track, plating Holen. Senior Grant Urban recorded a double in the inning, and the Indians held a 7-0 advantage after four innings. Hess said he was pleased to see the middle of the order’s efficiency at the plate.

“The middle of our lineup has to produce,” Hess said. “You can break it down the top of the order, the middle of the order, bottom of the order. But, bottom line, any team that’s going to be successful has to have the middle of their order produce. And those guys not only had some key base hits, but some extra base hits, so that was nice.”

After giving up two runs in the fifth, Wohler was relieved by junior Grant Munsen who got the final out of the inning. Manhattan’s offense then rallied for three scores in the bottom half, aided by senior A.J. Epperson’s RBI single.

One run in the sixth gave MHS its 11th run of the ballgame and ended the seniors’ stint at Norvell Field on a winning note, something Steinbring appreciated.

“It means a lot [to go out with a win],” Steinbring said. “I love this field and I love the memories that come with it. It’s been real important to me.”

Manhattan’s focus now shifts to Friday’s makeup doubleheader at Washburn Rural and next week’s Regional, the location and time of which have yet to be determined. Hess said he doesn’t expect to host the Regional, as was the case last season.

“If I was a betting person, which I’m not, I would think we would end up a four or five seed,” Hess said. “I suppose if all the stars align properly, a three [seed] is within reach. But we’d have to take care of business with Washburn Rural and then hope for some other things to happen.”