Before a thin crowd trying its best to protect itself from the chilly, windy weather Friday night in Topeka, Josh Chapman delivered a seventh-inning fastball to Topeka High’s DeAndre Anderson.

The Manhattan High senior, inserted in relief of junior Nick Wohler in game one of Friday’s doubleheader, had allowed each of the previous four batters to begin the inning on base. Just moments prior, Topeka’s John Walker was forced out at the plate, but the bases remained juiced for Anderson, whose team trailed 2-1.

Unfortunately for the Indians, they didn’t stay that way: Anderson ripped the pitch into the gap in right-center field, scoring Hayden Cordero and Tanner Cross.

Topeka High walked off and took game one, 3-2, and claimed a sweep with a 4-2 victory in the nightcap in both team’s season-openers.

Manhattan head coach Don Hess said the outcome largely came down to the Trojans’ desire, compared to his team’s.

“Topeka High wanted it more than we did. It’s kind of a strange thing to start the year,” Hess said. “They made the plays; got the hits when they needed them, and we did not. We had opportunities all night long.”

One such opportunity arrived in the half-inning before Anderson’s walk-off hit.

With runners on second and third, junior Brady Woborny stepped into the batter’s box. Fellow junior Chance Henderson had just given his team a 2-1 lead with a sacrifice fly, but Woborny had a chance to give his team an even thicker cushion.

Woborny, however, struck out, leaving Anderson and Topeka High with a much more manageable chance — and he took it — to win the game.

“We had opportunities all night,” Hess said. “It’s a thing of consistency. We’re not going to be successful if we have a whole bunch of guys going 1-for-4. We’ve got to have guys going 2-for-4; 3-for-4, and having good, competitive at-bats.”

But for as many runners Manhattan left stranded Friday night — 21, over the two games combined — its pitching did its part to keep Topeka at bay. Wohler covered six innings, striking out six, giving up five hits, one run (unearned) and no walks.

Senior Grant Munsen started the second game and, though less efficient than Wohler, gave the Indians ample opportunity: the southpaw pitched four innings and fanned three, giving up two earned runs, two hits and three walks.

But it was the fifth inning of game two that allowed the Trojans, who entered the frame trailing 2-1, to take the lead for good. After allowing a leadoff walk to begin the fifth, Munsen was relieved by junior Jake Steinbring. Steinbring struck out the first two batters he faced, but it was the third, Saylor Carraway, who served as the wrecking ball.

The senior smacked an RBI double, followed suit by Kane Florence, who drove in another run with a single. An inning that began with a leadoff walk ended with Topeka taking a 3-2 advantage.

“It’s been awhile [since I last pitched],” Munsen said. “I was trying to keep it low. I knew they were going to hit me; I’m not a blow-by pitcher. I was trying to keep it low in the zone; get outs; get ground balls; make it simple on myself.”

The Indians, as Hess said, did have plenty of opportunities they didn’t capitalize on, but there were a few MHS jumped on.

In game one, freshman Zac Cox roped an RBI single to center to score senior Tanner Holen. In game two, senior Brett Fields drove in Woborny with a single, and Wohler reached with a double in the third and scored on a passed ball.

Cox, though, may have been the headline of the first game: the freshman finished the contest with three base hits, a performance Hess was pleased with — though perhaps not of the second game, when he went 0-for-4.

“The good thing was whether he was successful or not, his defense stayed sharp,” Hess said. “The consistency will come, but we can’t expect for him to carry us.”

Cox played shortstop in both games, but around the rest of the diamond, the doubleheader, though it didn’t end the way Manhattan would have preferred, allowed for MHS and its coaching staff to begin to settle on where players will play as the season wears on.

“We had some questions answered tonight, both positively and negatively,” Hess said. “Now, it’s up to us to make the necessary changes or adjustments or whatever the case may be, and hopefully get back at it for our games on Tuesday.”

Those games will be in Manhattan against Wichita East, a twinbill Munsen hopes his team will come prepared for, in a contrast from Friday night.

“I think we just need to be ready to play. That’s the biggest part,” Munsen said. “Come out; have a better mindset, and hopefully come out with a couple of wins.”