Softball Team Falls At Sectional
22 May 2008

The Manchester High School softball team had high hopes of ending Lewis Cass’s stranglehold on the Wabash Sectional, and for three innings, it looked like they might have a chance.
Instead, Lewis Cass scored 10 runs over the fourth and fifth innings to put away the Lady Squires 14-5.
“I’m proud of the way the girls kept battling,” coach Todd Volk said. “I hope we learn from it.”
Cass scored two quick runs in the top of the first inning, but Manchester battled back to tie it up at 2-2 in the bottom of the first.
Brittany Watson singled and moved to third on a Katie Bowers double.
Watson scored on a wild pitch, while Bowers eventually scored after a brief run down between third and home.
Cass made it 4-2 with two runs in the top of the second, but Manchester cut the lead to 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the second.
Amber Fratus doubled and later scored on a fielder’s choice RBI from Noelle Patrick.
“Early on, we saw that they were trying to take the ball to the opposite field, so we just changed up our game plan and stayed inside on them,” Volk explained. “We just didn’t make the plays.”
The Lady Squires didn’t make the plays in the fourth and fifth innings, committing four errors along the way, as Cass took a 14-3 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Manchester avoided the 10-run rule with two runs in the fifth inning.
Noelle Patrick started things off with a single, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch.
Jama Runkel drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, scoring Patrick to make it 14-4.
Allison Mussey singled, and later scored on an RBI single from Bowers to extend the game.
Both teams shut down the other over the next two innings, something that pleased Volk, despite the loss.
“I was very happy with the way we shut things down, and the way it ended,” he said. “When you golf with your buddies, sometimes you take a mulligan. There was one inning I think we’d like to have back.
“It was tough because I was having so much fun,” he continued. “They’re bummed out, but I know they’ll bounce back. They are already talking about getting into the batting cages.”
Volk was also sad to see two seniors leave the program, Devin Knecht and Carrie McLain.
“Devin didn’t get to play too much, but was great in the dugout, kind of like a mother hen,” Volk said. “Carrie really came on strong with her bat late in the season, and she was great to have around. We’re going to miss them both.
“The future is bright,” he continued. “We lose some seniors, but we are still very young.”
The Lady Squires finish the season with a 11-10 record.