Just before Monday night storms swept into town, Manhattan High baseball took care of Topeka High in Game 1 of its season doubleheader with a 12-2 victory at Norvell Field.

Manhattan (8-3) held senior night honoring Carter Aslin, Hunter Austin, Brandon Stroud, Makai Michaelis, Eric Tiede, Jude Say, Landon Duff, Rylan Vikander, Sam Spiegel and Tanner Lang.

“It’s a big class,” head coach Don Hess emphasized. “It's just been a pleasure to have them in our program, because not only are they good baseball players. You listen to their speeches, their directions that they're headed, and these guys are all going to school to accomplish something after high school. So I'm just impressed with their work habits and their attitudes, and I wish them nothing but the best.”

Despite a pair of game postponements keeping the Indians off the field since April 19, Manhattan came out firing on all cylinders.

“I was impressed,” Hess said. “We had a couple of flat innings offensively where we didn't get anything done, but I felt like we ran the bases hard, made the routine plays, and got ahead in the count. All in all, for us, it was just nice to be back playing again, to win the ball game is great.”

Carter Goodpasture hit the mound for the opener and tossed all six innings, striking out six batters while scattering five hits and two runs (one earned). It was his longest outing on the mound this season.

“They had some hits, but he was in control,” Hess said. “I think he kind of got tired there a little bit towards the end. And sometimes the score dictates how that plays out. But I thought he was terrific and did a great job.”

Goodpasture’s strong outing started with two strikeouts in a scoreless first inning. Then, in the bottom half, MHS provides him with an early 4-0 lead with a series of hits, highlighted by an RBI triple from Brayson Gnirk.

After a scoreless second for both teams, Manhattan extended its lead with a three-run third. Rylan Vikander kicked it off with a home run, followed by doubles from Gnirk and Sawyer Newton and a single by Tyson Kratchovil.

In the fifth, Manhattan nearly ended the game with a 10-run mercy rule, having the bases loaded up 9-0 with no outs. But the Trojans escaped the jam and delayed the final.

Topeka took advantage and plated a pair in the top of the sixth, but Manhattan responded with three, including a walk-off double by Carter Aslin to wrap up the game one inning early.

Aslin and Asher Newton each collected two hits in the opener while Kratchovil and Gnirk connected for three each, with Gnirk coming a home run shy of the cycle. Sawyer Newton led the way with a 4-for-4 game with three RBI.

After Manhattan held its senior night festivities, the decision was made to push Game 2 to Thursday evening at 4 p.m.

“The fact that we're able to get this (first game) in was great,” Hess said.

Before the Indians pick up Game 2 against T-High, they’ll head to Washburn Rural for a doubleheader on Wednesday.