By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's softball team suffered a big blow in Monday's doubleheader sweep over Junction City when standout sophomore pitcher Alyssa Droge suffered a potentially-serious knee injury in the first game.
But the Wildcats responded with a couple of big blows of their own in Tuesday's home twinbill against Class 6A opponent Manhattan, rallying from behind in both games to stretch their winning streak to 10 games with a 6-5, 8-7 sweep over the Indians, taking an eight-inning victory in the nightcap.
"When Alyssa got hurt in the first game yesterday, it took the wind out of all of us,'' Hayden coach Carvel Reynoldson said. "Today I felt like we had energy warming up, but when we were playing from behind we needed some sort of spark and we got it with some really good at-bats.''
Hayden begins its celebration as sophomore Maylee Burris (30) scores the winning run in the Wildcats' 8-7 eight-inning victory over Manhattan Tuesday at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden celebrates its 8-7 eight-inning, second-game win over Manhattan Tuesday at Hayden. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Manhattan opened up a 5-1 advantage in the first game, but Hayden scored a run in the bottom of the sixth and four in the bottom of the seventh, with junior Sandy Anguiano delivering the game-winning hit.
Anguiano went 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI in the opener while senior Lauren Cook and junior Carly Stuke both went 2 for 4 at the plate and sophomore Tatum Abbey hit a home run.
Freshman Kylie Carswell worked the first five innings in the pitching circle for the Wildcats before sophomore Emily Ireland came on in the sixth and picked up the victory.
Hayden fell behind 7-2 in the second game, but got back in the hunt on Stuke's three-run home run and forced extra innings when the Wildcats forged a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the seventh.
Wildcat relief pitcher Carswell worked out of a jam in the top of the eighth and then Hayden loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning before sophomore Maylee Burris scored the game-winning run on a passed ball.
Cook went 3 for 4 with a double and a triple, three runs scored and a run batted in while Stuke had a triple and a homer and five RBI and Abbey had a double.
Ireland pitched the first four innings for Hayden before Carswell hurled the final four innings to get the win.
Reynoldson said Tuesday's wins were a great morale-booster for his team in the wake of Droge's injury.
"Seeing Alyssa here at the field and celebrating our success shows what kind of kid she is,'' Reynoldson said. "She's a special kid that will bounce back from this.''
Hayden will face a tough test on Thursday, taking on undefeated Topeka High at Hummer Sports Park.
FIRST GAME
HAYDEN 6, MANHATTAN 5
McGee and Dupler. Carswell, Ireland (6) and Vanderslice. W -- Ireland. L -- McGee. 2B -- Manhattan: McGee, Begnoche. Hayden: Anguiano 2. HR -- Hayden: Abbey.
SECOND GAME
HAYDEN 8, MANHATTAN 7
Ireland, Carswell (5) and Vanderslice. Goos and Neitzel. W -- Carswell. L -- Good. 2B -- Manhattan: Goos, Dupler. Hayden: Abbey, Cook. 3B -- Hayden: Stuke, Cook. HR -- Manhattan: Neitzel, Hacker. Hayden: Stuke.
