Manchester’s Aaliyah Smith was 1 for 2 with a run scored in the Lady Hounds’ 12-3 loss to Lynchburg on April 10.

Story by Mark Carpenter – 
Photo by Jennifer Smith Photography – 

In the words of Coach John Kennedy, “it was the worst game we played all season” and that was reflected in the final score as the Manchester Lady Hounds softball squad was handed a 12-3 road loss on April 10 by the Lynchburg Lady Mustangs.
The loss dropped the Lady Hounds to 6-4 on the season and more importantly, 2-3 in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference.
The game was a pitcher’s duel through three innings between Manchester’s McKenzie bell and Lynchburg’s Amber DeBoard with both sides scoreless until the Lady Hound broke the ice in the top of the fourth when Aaliyah Smith came home after a Katie Sandlin double and a Lynchburg error.
That lead didn’t last long as the Lady Mustangs scored three in the fourth and one in the fifth to go up 4-1.
Manchester answered by plating a pair in the top of the sixth when a two-bagger by Kya Taylor scored Sandlin and Karley Young and it looked like the Lady Hounds could still mount a comeback.
Those hopes died and died quickly when the proverbial roof caved in as the Lady Mustangs exploded to score eight times in their half of the sixth to effectively put the game out of reach.
Perhaps stunned by the Lynchburg bombardment, the Lady Hounds went down in order in the top of the seventh and the home team celebrated a big 12-3 win.
The Lady Hounds got a big offensive day from Taylor, who banged out three hits and drove home a pair, while Sandlin had two hits and scored a run.