Campbell drives in four in 17-6 victory –
By Mark Carpenter –
Break out the big sticks! A 19-hit attack, powered by two long home runs by freshman Yasmin Lucas, led the Manchester Lady Greyhounds to a 17-6 victory over the visiting Whiteoak Lady Cats in Southern Hills Athletic Conference play on Friday, April 6. The win was the fifth of the season for the Lady Hounds against no losses, though they do have a suspended game with Fairfield to complete, in which they trailed late in the contest.
In Friday’s win, the Lady Hounds jumped out early, scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning, getting a base hit from the red-hot bat of Josie Campbell that drove home two and an RBI ground out by Katie Sandlin. Whiteoak bounced back with a pair of runs in the top of the second off of Manchester starter Madison Jones, but the Lady Hounds answered that in a big way, plating six runs in their half of the second.
The Lady Hounds sent 10 batters to the plate, and the rally began with Lucas blasting the first of her “no-doubters” over the center field fence for a solo homer. Later in the frame, Sandlin, Jones, and Kya Taylor all singled home runs as Manchester extended their lead out to 9-2.
The Lady Hounds added two more in the bottom of the third, getting two out run-scoring hits from Brooke Kennedy and then from Campbell to go up 11-2. The Lady Cats responded by touching up Jones for four runs in the top of the fourth, and after going scoreless in their half of the fourth, the Lady Hounds put the game out of reach when they came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth.
Aaliyah Smith led off with an infield hit, stole second, and went to third when Karley Young flied out to right. The speedy Manchester outfielder came home on a passed ball and the inning continued with Kennedy getting a single and scoring on a two-base hit to center by Campbell. Sandlin walked and she and Campbell pulled off a double steal to put them both in scoring position, and Campbell crossed the plate on a ground out by Taylor that made it 14-6.
A base hit by Jones scored Sandlin and brought Lucas to the plate with two outs. On a 1-0 pitch, the freshman launched her second homer of the game, this one a walk off winner, as Jones scored ahead of her, giving the Lady Hounds a 17-6 advantage, good enough to enforce the OHSAA run rule and give the Manchester squad their fifth win of the spring.
“Yasmin’s two homers were no-doubters and of no surprise to any of us,” said Manchester head coach John Kennedy. “She has immense power and hits the ball harder than anyone else on our team. She hit several home runs last year in junior high and travel ball, but for her to get that first high school home run is special. Then, to hit another to end the game just topped it off.”
“I need to find out the school record for home runs because she’s going to hit quite a few over the next four years.”
Besides the Lucas heroics, the Lady Hounds’ 19-hit attack was paced by four hits each from Kennedy, Campbell, and Jones, all of whom are hitting above .600 for the season, with Manchester averaging over 12 runs a game in their five victories. Campbell drove home four runs as did Lucas, with Smith adding three hits and scoring three times.
Jones was the winning pitcher, going all five innings, allowing three earned runs, and striking out eight.
The Lady Hounds were scheduled to be back in action on Thursday, April 12, when they will host the Peebles Lady Indians in what should be another big SHAC showdown. On Friday, Manchester will host Fayetteville and then host New Boston on Saturday in a 10 a.m. doubleheader.
Whiteoak Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Greene 3-0-1-1, Price 3-0-0-0, Bratton 3-0-0-0, Ames 2-2-1-0, Gross 3-2-2-0, Botts 3-1-2-0, Ward 3-0-0-0, Everhart 2-1-1-2, Raines 2-0-1-0, Team 24-6-8-3.
Manchester Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Smith 4-3-3-0, K. Young 4-1-0-0, Kennedy 4-4-4-2, Campbell 4-3-4-4, Sandlin 3-2-1-2, Taylor 4-0-1-2, Jones 4-2-4-2, Lucas 4-2-2-4, Morrison 3-0-0-0, Team 34-17-19-16.
Extra-Base Hits: Campbell 2B, Jones 2B, Lucas HR (2)
Whiteoak Pitching:
Greene (L) 4.2 IP, 19 H, 17 R, 15 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Manchester Pitching:
Jones (W) 5 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
