Peden's Punches Power Squires To Title
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
MENTONE - You know it's a big game when the phrase heard most often from the dugout during warm-ups is, "It's just another game."
Both Manchester and Tippecanoe Valley knew what was on the line Friday night.
The Squires came into the game 4-1 in the Three Rivers Conference, while Valley came in at 3-1. If Manchester won, the Squires would win at least a share of the TRC title, along with Rochester, for the first time in the three years of the existence of the team.
If the Vikings won, it would place them in a first place tie with Rochester. Add the fact that it was senior night for the Vikings, and you have the making of a tense situation.
Thanks to Jodie Peden's big bat, Manchester ran away from Valley 14-4 on Friday in a game that was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.
"The girls came out hitting tonight like they can," Manchester first-year head coach Jim Troyer said. "They're a good hitting team, and they have been all year. It's a great thrill for me."
Peden had two hits, a home run, two runs scored and four RBIs - in the first inning. Her homer, a two-out grand slam, put Manchester ahead 8-0 after just half an inning.
Manchester added three more runs in the second inning as Tracie Hart hit a two-out, three run homer, to put the Squires ahead 11-0.
Valley would try to make a run as Brandi Fisher drove home Cori Groninger in the bottom of the second.
Trailing 12-1 in the bottom of the third, Groninger singled with the bases loaded. Manchester then overthrew the cut-off man getting the ball in from the outfield. That play scored three runs to get Valley to within eight.
The score was still 12-4 in the top of the fifth when Peden hit her second homer of the game, a solo shot that cleared the left field wall. Katie Parker followed with a single, her fourth hit of the day, and Jamie Gillum followed that with a single. With Parker on third, Summer Groninger, the Valley catcher, overthrew third base on a pick-off attempt and she scored to go back up by 10.
In the bottom of the fifth, Emily Cripe led-off with a double but was stranded on a pop out, a foul out and a deep fly out to end the game.
With two outs and runners on base Valley was just 1 for 5 on the game. Manchester on the other hand was 5 for 8 and scored eight runs with two outs.
"The home runs killed us," Valley coach Chrissy Niedbalski said. "We couldn't get the bats going at the right time."
Megan Sell picked up the win for the Vikings pitching five innings and allowing four earned runs. She struck out two batters without walking anybody.
"They knew that if they won this, they won the TRC or tied for a share of the title," Troyer said. "We accomplished the first goal we want, now we're on to sectionals."
Manchester (10-8, 5-1) will be at Wabash today for a double header beginning at 11 a.m. Valley (7-12, 3-2) will be at Warsaw on Monday at 4:30 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]
MENTONE - You know it's a big game when the phrase heard most often from the dugout during warm-ups is, "It's just another game."
Both Manchester and Tippecanoe Valley knew what was on the line Friday night.
The Squires came into the game 4-1 in the Three Rivers Conference, while Valley came in at 3-1. If Manchester won, the Squires would win at least a share of the TRC title, along with Rochester, for the first time in the three years of the existence of the team.
If the Vikings won, it would place them in a first place tie with Rochester. Add the fact that it was senior night for the Vikings, and you have the making of a tense situation.
Thanks to Jodie Peden's big bat, Manchester ran away from Valley 14-4 on Friday in a game that was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.
"The girls came out hitting tonight like they can," Manchester first-year head coach Jim Troyer said. "They're a good hitting team, and they have been all year. It's a great thrill for me."
Peden had two hits, a home run, two runs scored and four RBIs - in the first inning. Her homer, a two-out grand slam, put Manchester ahead 8-0 after just half an inning.
Manchester added three more runs in the second inning as Tracie Hart hit a two-out, three run homer, to put the Squires ahead 11-0.
Valley would try to make a run as Brandi Fisher drove home Cori Groninger in the bottom of the second.
Trailing 12-1 in the bottom of the third, Groninger singled with the bases loaded. Manchester then overthrew the cut-off man getting the ball in from the outfield. That play scored three runs to get Valley to within eight.
The score was still 12-4 in the top of the fifth when Peden hit her second homer of the game, a solo shot that cleared the left field wall. Katie Parker followed with a single, her fourth hit of the day, and Jamie Gillum followed that with a single. With Parker on third, Summer Groninger, the Valley catcher, overthrew third base on a pick-off attempt and she scored to go back up by 10.
In the bottom of the fifth, Emily Cripe led-off with a double but was stranded on a pop out, a foul out and a deep fly out to end the game.
With two outs and runners on base Valley was just 1 for 5 on the game. Manchester on the other hand was 5 for 8 and scored eight runs with two outs.
"The home runs killed us," Valley coach Chrissy Niedbalski said. "We couldn't get the bats going at the right time."
Megan Sell picked up the win for the Vikings pitching five innings and allowing four earned runs. She struck out two batters without walking anybody.
"They knew that if they won this, they won the TRC or tied for a share of the title," Troyer said. "We accomplished the first goal we want, now we're on to sectionals."
Manchester (10-8, 5-1) will be at Wabash today for a double header beginning at 11 a.m. Valley (7-12, 3-2) will be at Warsaw on Monday at 4:30 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]