Manchester Walks Off, Hands Wawasee Softball First Loss
April 15, 2017 at 4:35 a.m.
Manchester Walks Off, Hands Wawasee Softball First Loss
By Staff Report-
Ellie Milam scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, sending the Lady Squires to a dramatic 3-2, walk-off win over previously unbeaten Wawasee in a non-conference girls softball game.
The game was a see-saw affair that saw Wawasee take a 1-0 lead in the fourth, then the Lady Squires come back to take a 2-1 lead on freshman Mackenzie Day’s home run in the bottom of the fifth.
The Lady Warriors pushed across a run in the top of the sixth to re-tie the game and set up the dramatic finish.
“I have to tip my cap to Manchester. They came up in the big spots and got the couple of runs they needed,” said Wawasee coach Mike Barger. “We did the same. We struck early and kept it to a one-run game.
“We fought and fought, and we had some opportunities with runners in scoring position, and just couldn’t get that big, timely hit.”
Barger said he had a lot of respect for the Lady Squires going in to the game.
“I knew it was going to be a tough game,” he said. “Manchester is tough. They won the (Three Rivers) conference last year, and won the sectional, then got beat by Oak Hill in the regional. That team is a semistate team in my eyes, and that’s the caliber of team we want to play.”
An effort was made to reach Manchester coach Brittany Holmes for comment, but was unsuccessful.
Neither team will get much time to dwell on Friday’s game. Wawasee will host Triton at 11 a.m. today, and Manchester will travel to Fremont for a doubleheader today, weather permitting in both cases.
Barger said while his team never likes to lose, the loss can be a good lesson on their way to their stated season goal of winning a state championship.
“You take a loss like that, and now people are looking to see how you’re going to respond,” he said. “We have a quick turnaround, and are you going to hang your head, or are you going to put your hard hat back on and go to work, and figure out what you need to do to get your wins and where you want to go.
“After the game I saw some anger, I saw some frustration, and I saw the light click on. Tonight was a good learning point for us.”
MANCHESTER 3, WAWASEE 2
W 000 101 0 – 2 7 0
M 000 110 1 – 3 4 1
Wawasee – Meghan Fretz (L, 6.2IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K)
Manchester – Brooklyn Howard (W, 7IP, 7H, 2R, 1ER, 1BB, 9K)
2B – Hannah Haines (W), Amber Lemberg (W), Ellie Milam (M)
HR – Mackenzie Day (M)
Records: Wawasee 5-1. Manchester 3-0.
Ellie Milam scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, sending the Lady Squires to a dramatic 3-2, walk-off win over previously unbeaten Wawasee in a non-conference girls softball game.
The game was a see-saw affair that saw Wawasee take a 1-0 lead in the fourth, then the Lady Squires come back to take a 2-1 lead on freshman Mackenzie Day’s home run in the bottom of the fifth.
The Lady Warriors pushed across a run in the top of the sixth to re-tie the game and set up the dramatic finish.
“I have to tip my cap to Manchester. They came up in the big spots and got the couple of runs they needed,” said Wawasee coach Mike Barger. “We did the same. We struck early and kept it to a one-run game.
“We fought and fought, and we had some opportunities with runners in scoring position, and just couldn’t get that big, timely hit.”
Barger said he had a lot of respect for the Lady Squires going in to the game.
“I knew it was going to be a tough game,” he said. “Manchester is tough. They won the (Three Rivers) conference last year, and won the sectional, then got beat by Oak Hill in the regional. That team is a semistate team in my eyes, and that’s the caliber of team we want to play.”
An effort was made to reach Manchester coach Brittany Holmes for comment, but was unsuccessful.
Neither team will get much time to dwell on Friday’s game. Wawasee will host Triton at 11 a.m. today, and Manchester will travel to Fremont for a doubleheader today, weather permitting in both cases.
Barger said while his team never likes to lose, the loss can be a good lesson on their way to their stated season goal of winning a state championship.
“You take a loss like that, and now people are looking to see how you’re going to respond,” he said. “We have a quick turnaround, and are you going to hang your head, or are you going to put your hard hat back on and go to work, and figure out what you need to do to get your wins and where you want to go.
“After the game I saw some anger, I saw some frustration, and I saw the light click on. Tonight was a good learning point for us.”
MANCHESTER 3, WAWASEE 2
W 000 101 0 – 2 7 0
M 000 110 1 – 3 4 1
Wawasee – Meghan Fretz (L, 6.2IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K)
Manchester – Brooklyn Howard (W, 7IP, 7H, 2R, 1ER, 1BB, 9K)
2B – Hannah Haines (W), Amber Lemberg (W), Ellie Milam (M)
HR – Mackenzie Day (M)
Records: Wawasee 5-1. Manchester 3-0.
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