By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
Despite suffering a 15-3, run-rule loss to Manhattan in the first game of the twinbill, Topeka High’s softball team had a memorable rally fall just short in a 14-12 extra-inning loss in Game 2 on Friday night at Hummer Sports Park.
Shane Miles is confident his Topeka High sotball team can bounce back fom its recent four-game losing steak, including a pair of losses to Manhattan on Friday. [File photo/TSN]
As usual, the Kansas weather played a factor in Friday night’s Centennial League matchup. With 55 mph winds in effect and an unbeaten rival rolling into the Capital City, it wasn’t going to be an easy matchup for a young, mostly inexperienced Topeka High team.
The two-time defending Class 6A state champions have a lot of new faces in the lineup this season, and the coach that led them to those state championships knows that it’s going to take some repetitions to get fully acclimated to this season.
"We got a target on our back, being the defending 6A state champion the last two years,” Topeka High coach Shane Miles said. “Everybody is going to give us their best shot. We have a lot of new faces, too. We are just trying to find that mix that works for us. We just have to go back to work on Monday and forget about this. We will be a tough team to put out come later this season.”
The young guns in the bottom of the order showed up with great discipline in Frriday's nightcap and keyed a late run for Topeka High to rally and send the game into extra innings.
Senior standouts Adisyn Caryl and Alesia Alvarez, as well as freshman Taimane Isaia, had memorable nights.
Caryl went a combined 5 of 7 at the plate in the twinbill with three runs batted in, two triples, a double and sprints to home plate that led to scores from passed balls.
Alvarez gunned down three runners from home plate in Game 2. The catcher also had two RBIs at the plate.
Isaia came up with two 2-run home runs in consecutive innings in game in the nightcap and brought in a runner home on an RBI single. With an RBI in game one as well, the freshman finished the night with six RBIs as well as pitching 12 combined innings for Topeka High.
"Taimane (Isaia) did a great job, as a freshman, putting up those two home runs for us," Miles said. "Adisyn (Caryl) will be there, and we know what we are going to get out of her. We got some good swings from the top and bottom of the lineup. It was also good for us to get production from our young kids at the bottom of the order."
Game 1
The first game of the doubleheader had the potential to be a highly-contested pitcher's duel between Manhattan pitcher, South Dakota State signee Kierra Goos, and sophomore Topeka High ace Jo'Mhara Benning.
Goos pitched all six innings giving, up three runs with four hits while striking out 13 batters and giving up two walks. Benning was rolling with six strikeouts but had to be pulled due to a significant hand injury.
After the Indians struck first after an RBI single from junior Anna Wollenberg, Topeka High answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. The two runs came from an RBI double from Benning and an RBI single from Isaia to give the Trojans a 2-1 advantage.
In the top of the second inning, Manhattan had three consecutive RBI doubles. Senior Takara Kolterman, junior McKenzie Reid and freshman Kat Ball each came up with a two-bagger to extend the lead to 4-2.
The Indians would go scoreless in the next two innings, while Topeka High added a run in the third. Caryl smacked a triple to the outfield fence and came home on a passed ball to decrease Topeka High's deficit to 4-3.
However, Topeka High would have a costly error in the top of the fifth inning to give Manhattan a bit of separation. After a hit by junior Jaden McGee, the Trojans overthrew their first basemen and had another throwing mishap, which brought in senior Avery Hafliger and junior Taylor Riffel home to give Manhattan a 6-3 lead.
The floodgates would open for Manhattan in the sixth inning when the Indians put nine runs on the board. Junior Raegan Neitzel, Wollenberg, Hafliger, Reid and McGee brought in seven combined runs off of RBIs.
Topeka High wouldn't get the three runs necessary to escape a run-rule, and Manhattan would win the first game of the twinbill, 15-3.
Game 2
Manhattan didn't waste any time putting a run on the board. Kolterman drove in Reid on an RBI single after Reid got on the basepaths with a double.
Three runners were on base for Manhattan in the inning, but a throwdown from Alvarez and three strikeouts from Isaia put out the fire and kept Manhattan to a 1-0 lead at the end of the top of the first inning.
Topeka High's momentum from its defensive efforts from the top half of the inning segued to its offense in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Quincy Smith got on base with a single and Caryl followed up with a single of her own.
An error in the infield from Manhattan stretched Caryl's single to three bags, and Smith would come home. Then, Caryl would score on a passed ball, and Topeka High gained a 2-1 lead.
Ball would bring McGee home in the second inning to tie the contest, 2-2. Manhattan would slam its foot on the gas in the top of the third inning with a 4-run inning, also sparked by a Kolterman triple.
"We are trying to just play it one pitch at a time," Goos said. "We want to focus on the little things. Staying positive is really important in a game of failure. I'm really proud of the team for their focus. They're hitting the ball well and are psyched up at the plate. I'm just proud of them."
An error helped Manhattan for a run while Neitzel brought in Kolterman off of a fielder's choice. Then senior Alice Burgess would bring in a runner off of a sacrifice fly, and finally, McGee's RBI single added the fourth run to give Manhattan a 6-2 lead.
Topeka High wouldn't give up and be defeated by its 4-run deficit. The Trojans' high-powered offense gained three runs in the bottom of the third. The three runs were powered by Isaia's first 2-run home run of the night and an RBI single from Alvarez to trim their deficit to 6-5.
Manhattan's offense came up big again with a 3-run, top of the fourth inning. A Trojan error and two sacrifice flies from Goos and Burgess boosted the Indians to a 9-5 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.
Topeka High would cash in with its explosive offense, putting five runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Isaia's second 2-run home run, Caryl's 2-run triple and an Alvarez RBI gave Topeka High its first lead since the first inning with a 10-9 lead.
Topeka High's lead was shortlived, with Manhattan getting a pair of runs from Topeka High's third defensive error and an RBI double from Reid. Manhattan regained the lead, 11-10, in the top of the fifth.
Topeka High committed another error at the top of the sixth and kept the inning alive with two outs for the Indians. However, Manhattan would capitalize with an RBI double from Hafliger to extend its lead, 12-10, putting immense pressure on Topeka High to keep up in the shootout.
Topeka High answered the call at the bottom of the sixth. With a combination of RBIs from Isaia and Beall and Manhattan's first error, the game tied up 12-12.
Neither team could score in the seventh inning, which put the game into extras. And similar to the seventh inning, Topeka High nor Manhattan could break the tie in the eighth inning.
In the top of the ninth, Manhattan would create space between it and Topeka High. Kolterman delivered with an RBI single, and Topeka High would get another error, putting Manhattan with a 14-12 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.
After walking Topeka High twice in a row, Goos would shut down the 7-9 batters with three strikeouts to give Manhattan a 14-12 victory.
Topeka High will get six days off before they play again. The next time they will play, they will face its old Centennial League foe Seaman at Hummer Sports Park on Thursday.
GAME ONE
MANHATTAN 15, TOPEKA HIGH 3.
Manhattan (5-0) 130 029 – 15 17 0
Topeka High (2-3) 201 000 – 3 4 4
2B – Manhattan: Goos (2), Reid, Kolterman, Neitzel, Wollenberg, Hafliger, Ball. Topeka High: Benning. 3B – Topeka High: Caryl.
GAME TWO
MANHATTAN 14, TOPEKA HIGH 12.
Manhattan (6-0) 114 321 002 – 14 16 2
Topeka High (2-4) 203 502 000 – 12 11 6
2B – Manhattan: Reid (2), McGee, Hafliger. Topeka High: Caryl. 3B – Manhattan: Kolterman. Topeka High: Caryl. HR – Topeka High: Isaia (2).
