Softball Preview: Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs vs. Manchester Greyhounds
The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs will head out on the road to face off against the Manchester Greyhounds at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Lynchburg-Clay is no doubt hoping to put an end to a four-game streak of away losses.
Lynchburg-Clay will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Monday, then bounced right back against West Union on Tuesday. Lynchburg-Clay's pitchers stepped up to hand West Union an 11-0 shutout. That looming 11-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Lynchburg-Clay yet this season.
Noel Barnhill made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits over four innings pitched. Barnhill has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive pitching appearances. Barnhill was also big at the plate, going 2-for-2 with two RBI and a double.
In other batting news, Lynchburg-Clay let Caitlyn Collins and Brya McClain loose on the outfield. Collins scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3, while McClain went 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Reese Ruble, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 1-for-1.
Meanwhile, Manchester stacked a seventh blowout win onto their ever-increasing hoard on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Whiteoak with a sharp 8-2 victory.
Like Lynchburg-Clay, Manchester also got a great game from a two-way player: Rylie Young. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. Young was also stellar in the batter's box, firing off two home runs and four RBI while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Elliana Applegate, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Addilyn Hunter was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3.
The win got Lynchburg-Clay back to even at 10-10. As for Manchester, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matches, which provided a nice bump to their 11-4 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Lynchburg-Clay has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Manchester struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.5. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Lynchburg-Clay might still be hurting after the 16-1 loss they got from Manchester in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Can Lynchburg-Clay avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
