Lady Squires Rally For TRC Softball Win
May 18, 2017 at 3:42 p.m.
By Mark [email protected]
The victory clinched a second-straight unbeaten Three Rivers Conference softball season for the Lady Squires.
After an emotion-filled Senior Day ceremony, the Lady Squires made uncharacteristic mistakes, staking Maconaquah to an early 4-0 lead.
“Early on we struggled a little bit with Senior Day. I think it was just a little more emotional for the girls,” Manchester coach Brittany Holmes said. “But hey, they pulled through and did what they needed to do to win. I’m very proud of the girls.”
The Lady Braves also benefitted from some good defensive fortune. Centerfielder Shelby Spence made an over-the-shoulder catch of Sydney Day’s wind-blown fly ball, that might have cleared the fence on another day, to end the first and strand two runners. First baseman Savanna Miracle turned a liner off the bat of Manchester’s Kennedy Fierstos into an unassisted double play to end the third frame.
Errors and walks by Maconaquah, looking for its third win of the season, helped Manchester come back. The Lady Squires took the lead in the fifth with two runs on one hit, with three Lady Brave errors. Kiera Stacy scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and when the catcher’s throw back to the plate got away, Day scored the go-ahead run from second base.
Manchester tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth off an error, a single, two walks and a sacrifice fly.
After the first two innings Howard allowed only two singles, a walk and a hit batsman. She had at least one strikeout in each inning, and four of the last six outs came by strikeout. She also did her fair share of damage at the plate, collecting three hits. Emma West had a double and drove in a run, and Fierstos collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly.
“The girls just don’t give up. They keep going, and that’s what it takes,” said Holmes. “When they make mistakes, they’ll pick it up. When they’re not hitting, they’ll find a way to win.”
Manchester visits 2A No. 18 Oak Hill, the host of next week’s 2A sectional tournament, at 7 p.m. today, then closes the regular season with a home game against Warsaw Saturday evening.
The Lady Squires open sectional play at 6 p.m. Monday against fellow TRC member Wabash, with the winner facing No. 14 Whitko at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
“They’re ready to go,” Holmes said. “We’ll get a look at Oak Hill right before sectional, and we think that’s a good thing. They’re excited about it, and are ready to get started.”
MANCHESTER 7, MACONAQUAH 4
Mac 130 000 0 – 4 7 5
Man 030 022 x – 7 6 1
Maconaquah – Lindsay Gross (L, 5.1 IP, 6H, 7R, 5ER, 5BB, 2K), Savanna Miracle (0.2IP, 0H, 0R 0ER, 0BB, 1K)
Manchester – Brooklyn Howard (W, 7IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 11K)
2B – Emma West (Man)
Records: Maconaquah 2-18 (1-8 TRC), Manchester 19-2 (9-0 TRC)
The victory clinched a second-straight unbeaten Three Rivers Conference softball season for the Lady Squires.
After an emotion-filled Senior Day ceremony, the Lady Squires made uncharacteristic mistakes, staking Maconaquah to an early 4-0 lead.
“Early on we struggled a little bit with Senior Day. I think it was just a little more emotional for the girls,” Manchester coach Brittany Holmes said. “But hey, they pulled through and did what they needed to do to win. I’m very proud of the girls.”
The Lady Braves also benefitted from some good defensive fortune. Centerfielder Shelby Spence made an over-the-shoulder catch of Sydney Day’s wind-blown fly ball, that might have cleared the fence on another day, to end the first and strand two runners. First baseman Savanna Miracle turned a liner off the bat of Manchester’s Kennedy Fierstos into an unassisted double play to end the third frame.
Errors and walks by Maconaquah, looking for its third win of the season, helped Manchester come back. The Lady Squires took the lead in the fifth with two runs on one hit, with three Lady Brave errors. Kiera Stacy scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and when the catcher’s throw back to the plate got away, Day scored the go-ahead run from second base.
Manchester tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth off an error, a single, two walks and a sacrifice fly.
After the first two innings Howard allowed only two singles, a walk and a hit batsman. She had at least one strikeout in each inning, and four of the last six outs came by strikeout. She also did her fair share of damage at the plate, collecting three hits. Emma West had a double and drove in a run, and Fierstos collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly.
“The girls just don’t give up. They keep going, and that’s what it takes,” said Holmes. “When they make mistakes, they’ll pick it up. When they’re not hitting, they’ll find a way to win.”
Manchester visits 2A No. 18 Oak Hill, the host of next week’s 2A sectional tournament, at 7 p.m. today, then closes the regular season with a home game against Warsaw Saturday evening.
The Lady Squires open sectional play at 6 p.m. Monday against fellow TRC member Wabash, with the winner facing No. 14 Whitko at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
“They’re ready to go,” Holmes said. “We’ll get a look at Oak Hill right before sectional, and we think that’s a good thing. They’re excited about it, and are ready to get started.”
MANCHESTER 7, MACONAQUAH 4
Mac 130 000 0 – 4 7 5
Man 030 022 x – 7 6 1
Maconaquah – Lindsay Gross (L, 5.1 IP, 6H, 7R, 5ER, 5BB, 2K), Savanna Miracle (0.2IP, 0H, 0R 0ER, 0BB, 1K)
Manchester – Brooklyn Howard (W, 7IP, 7H, 4R, 4ER, 2BB, 11K)
2B – Emma West (Man)
Records: Maconaquah 2-18 (1-8 TRC), Manchester 19-2 (9-0 TRC)
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