In the 7-6 win over Whiteoak, Manchester pitcher Rylie Young tossed six no-hot innings as the Lady Hounds clinched the SHAC small school championship. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

In the 7-6 win over Whiteoak, Manchester pitcher Rylie Young tossed six no-hot innings as the Lady Hounds clinched the SHAC small school championship. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

<p>This swing by Manchester’s Emilee Applegate produced a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Lady Hounds walked off the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats 7-6 on April 27. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)</p>

This swing by Manchester’s Emilee Applegate produced a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Lady Hounds walked off the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats 7-6 on April 27. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)

By Mark Carpenter

People’s Defender

During this 2023 season, the Manchester Lady Greyhounds softball squad hasn’t had too many close games to deal with, but on Thursday, April 27 on their home field the Lady Hounds did something they hadn’t done in decades and they did it in dramatic fashion.

Cruising along with a 6-0 lead and pitcher Rylie Young tossing a no-hitter through six innings, the Lady Hounds led the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats and were three outs away from clinching the small school division of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference. Then things took an unexpected turn. The Lady Cats came off the mat to score six times in the top of the seventh to tie the score and set the home team back on their heels. Good teams recover, though, and that is just how the Lady Hounds responded, combining a base hit, stolen base, and a pair of sacrifice flies into a walk-off winner and a well-deserved SHAC title.

“It’s the first time in over 30 years that Manchester has won a league title in softball,” said Manchester head coach Matthias Applegate. “These girls set that as a goal at the beginning of the year and have been focused on it all season. We’re hoping to finish the regular season strong and build off of last year’s tournament run to the district finals. These girls are determined to work as a team and fight for each other and it is a blast to just be a part of it.”

In the win over Whiteoak, the Lady Hounds got the scoring started in the bottom of the first. After the first two batters were retired, Emilee Applegate singled to left, stole second and scored on a Kameyl Carter base hit. In the bottom half of the third, the home team added three more runs to their margin. Jenna Campbell singled and went to second on an error, then scored on a Rylie Young double to left. The Lady Hounds have had prolific home run power all season and after the Young two-bagger, Emilee Applegate, after fouling off four pitchers, rocketed the next pitch over the fence in right center for a two-run dinger and a 4-0 Manchester lead.

While Young was holding the Lady Cats hitless from the center circle, her offense added single runs in the fifth and sixth, Campbell coming across on a passed ball in the fifth and Chloe Freeman coming home on an Abby Neria base hit in the sixth.

With what looked like a comfortable six-run lead going into the top of the seventh, things quickly went off the rails for the home side, starting with Whiteoak;s lead off hitter, Molly McMullen. After fouling off five pitches, McMullen broke up the no-hitter in a big way, launching a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to get the visitors on the board.

The long ball must have shaken Young as she walked the next three batters and was replaced by Emilee Applegate, who faced a bases loaded, no out situation. An Elly McMullen base hit brought home a pair of Lady Cats to make it 6-3 and the visitors drew within two on an RBI ground out by Addison Roberts. Down later to their last out, the Lady Cats got a Lily Leston base hit that tied the score at 6 apiece. Batting for the second time in the frame, Molly McMullen lined out to shortstop Campbell for the third out, setting up another dramatic Manchester finish.

Campbell led off the bottom of the seventh for the Lady Hounds and laced a line drive single off of the glove of the second baseman, putting the winning run on base. After stealing second base, Campbell advanced to third on a fly out to right by Young. With the winning run at third, Emilee Applegate lifted a fly ball to left, Campbell tagging up and sliding home with the game-winner and the SHAC winner.

The victorious Lady Hounds banged out 10 hits in the win, which improved their season mark to 16-1/ Lead off hitter Jenna Campbell had a big day, going 3 for 4 and scoring three times. Emilee Applegate was 2 for 3 with the home run and she also was the winning pitcher in relief. In her six plus innings of work from the center circle, Rylie Young struck out 11 Whiteoak hitters.

Weird May weather permitting, the Lady Hounds were slated to be back in action on Tuesday, May 2, hosting the Peebles Lady Indians, who they defeated 14-5 on April 25. On Wednesday, Coach Applegate and his squad will host Manchester and then host Sciotoville East in a 10 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday, May 6.

Whiteoak

000 000 6 —6

Manchester

103 011 1 —7

Whiteoak Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Roberts 1-0-0-1, Parr 3-0-0-0, Leston 4-0-1-2, M. McMullen 4-1-1-1, Hill 2-1-0-0, Davidson 2-1-0-0, Conrad 2-1-0-0, E. McMullen 2-0-1-2, Clift 3-1-0-0, Team 23-6-3-6.

Extra-Base Hits: M. McMullen HR

Manchester Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Campbell 4-3-3-0, Young 4-1-1-1, E. Applegate 3-2-2-3, Carter 3-0-1-1, Roberts 3-0-1-0, Rideout 3-0-0-0, Freeman 3-1-1-0, Neria 3-0-1-1, J. Applegate 3-0-0-0, Team 29-7-10-6.

Extra-Base Hits: Young 2B, Campbell 2B, E. Applegate HR

Whiteoak Pitching:

Hill (L) 6.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 6 K

Manchester Pitching:

Young 6 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 7 BB, 11 K

E. Applegate (W) 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K