Manchester right hander Leland Horner was the winning pitcher in the Greyhounds’ sectional win at Eastern Pike, firing a complete game two-hitter. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
A young team that struggled all spring with growing pains now has a sectional tournament win under their belts. Coach Josh Reaves and his Manchester Greyhounds traveled to Eastern Pike on Saturday, May 13 for a Division IV first-round sectional contest and came home as winners, knocking off the host Eagles by a final count of 4-1.
The Hounds were buoyed by a masterful pitching performance by starter Leland Horner, who allowed just two hits and one run while striking out six Eastern hitters in a complete game effort. Horner also helped himself at the dish, going 2 for 3 with an RBI as a three-run third inning was the difference as Manchester moved ahead in tournament play.
It was the Eagles who got the scoring started on Saturday, putting up a matchstick in the bottom of the second on a run-scoring base hit by Bear Tomlinson, but the Greyhounds answered right back when they came to bat in the top of the third. with one out, Traevyn Hilderbrand was hit by a pitch, stole second, then advanced to third when Drew Kennedy flied out to center. Aaron Lucas drew a walk and an errant throw by the Eastern pitcher scored Hilderbrand and moved Lucas over to third where he scored on an infield hit by Luke Applegate. Applegate swiped second then rode home on a Horner base hit to give the visitors a 3-1 advantage.
The score remained that way as both pitchers, Morton for eastern Pike and Horner for Manchester, put goose eggs on the board until the Hounds came to bat in the top of the seventh. With one away, Connor Darnell singled, went to second on a wild pitch and came home on a double to right by Kennedy to give the Hounds the 4-1 lead.
With that three-run cushion, Horner went back to the mound for the bottom of the seventh and didn’t miss a beat, retiring the Eagles in order to secure the tournament triumph for he and the Hounds.
The win broke a long losing streak for the Greyhounds and improved their overall mark to 6-15 but more importantly, moved them to the Division IV sectional finals where they will see a familiar foe. On Tuesday, Reaves and his troops traveled to Whiteoak to face off with the fellow Southern Hills Athletic Conference Wildcats who were the #1 seed on the brackets. The Hounds hope history repeats itself as they went to Whiteoak in this same situation two seasons ago and came away with a 6-3 upset win and a sectional championship. The results of Tuesday’s contest were not available at press time so look for a wrap-up in a future edition of The People’s Defender sports pages.
Manchester
003 000 1 —4
Eastern Pike
010 000 0 —1
Manchester Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Hilderbrand 3-1-0-0, Kennedy 3-0-2-1, Lucas 3-1-0-0, Applegate 3-1-1-1, Horner 3-0-2-1, Rickett 3-0-0-0, Hayslip 3-0-0-0, Doyle 3-0-0-0, Darnell 3-1-1-0, Team 27-4-6-3.
Extra-Base Hits: Kennedy 2B
E. Pike Hitting (AB-R-H-RBI): Smith 3-0-0-0, Havens 3-0-1-0, Lamerson 3-0-0-0, Morton 1-1-0-0, Salmen 3-0-0-0, Haislop 0-0-0-0, Manley 1-0-0-0, Tomlinson 3-0-1-1, Moore 3-0-0-0, Team 21-1-2-1.
Manchester Pitching:
Horner (W) 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 6 K, 97 pitches
E. Pike Pitching:
Morton (L) 7 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 121 pitches
