Sixth-inning rally lifts Warwick over MC, 5-3

Warwick senior Katelyn Seibert beats the throw to Manheim Central shortstop Tayler Lauver for a stolen base in the Lady Warriors’ 5-3 win last Thursday. (Photo by Missi Mortimer)

Normally, the number nine hitters in a batting order aren’t known for their offensive exploits.
Apparently, Warwick’s Katelyn Minney didn’t get the memo.
Last Thursday, the freshman right fielder stepped up in the bottom of the sixth inning with a game-tying RBI triple to left-center field, then scored the go-ahead run on an error.
That was all part of a three-run rally by the Lady Warriors, as they came back from a 3-2 deficit to knock off back-yard rival Manheim Central 5-3 in a non-league game in Lititz.
“I feel great for her, especially going opposite field,” Warwick coach Mark Hough remarked, “but going opposite field with that kind of power is tremendous for us.”
Senior lefty Amanda Herr then nailed it down by retiring the Lady Barons on strikes in the seventh, finishing off a complete-game win. She K’d nine, walked none and yielded three runs on six hits.
“I think (Amanda) really felt good today coming into this,” Hough said. “Some of those pitches were tailing a little bit outside and I think she was trying to get that outside corner. And if she starts getting that, we’re going to be in great shape.”
Earlier, Herr helped her own cause by snapping a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Manheim Central, though, answered with a three-spot in its next at-bats to grab a 3-2 lead.
But it didn’t last.
“We faced probably one of the best pitchers in the League,” MC coach Gary Lefever said. “They hit the long ball. We could’ve folded late in the game. To come back and score three, to get the leadoff on and to score and just continue to battle … I mean, offensively I think we’re going to be in every game. Unfortunately, a few mistakes hurt us, but that’s the way it goes.”
Herr faced the minimum number of batters through three, allowing a second-inning base hit to BJ Bollinger (2-for-3), but getting a double play.
Warwick, meanwhile, managed only a couple infield hits in the first three innings off of MC pitcher Maddie Walter &tstr; after being no-hit by Donegal in its opener &tstr; but left five runners on base during that time.
Finally, in the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Warriors found a little two-out magic. Kate Seibert (3-for-3, BB) legged out a swinging bunt, stole second and scored when Herr smashed a 2-1 pitch from Walter over the fence in left-center.
“When (Amanda) puts a good swing on it and gets it up in the air, especially with a little bit of wind blowing out … she had that pitch pretty much squared up. So we knew that one was out,” Hough said.
In the top of the sixth, MC’s Lily Wagner didn’t hit a 2-2 pitch out, but her infield single to the middle of the infield gave the Lady Barons a spark.
Codi Bollinger followed with a Texas League single to shallow right, and after Reagan Rohrer hit a fielder’s choice grounder, Maddie Walter delivered an RBI single to right field.
“(Maddie)’s in the three-spot for a reason,” Lefever said, “because she’s very consistent. She’s very reliable. It wasn’t just her. The leadoff (Lily), our nine batter, led the way and got us on and gave us an opportunity.”
Next, Jordan Walter grounded out back to the mound, but with speedy Reagan Rohrer at third, she broke for the plate as soon as Herr threw to first base and scored the tying run.
“I knew we were still down a run, we needed that run, I’m willing to take a chance late in the game, and knowing Reagan’s speed, it’s a matter of timing at that point,” Lefever said.”She played it very well.”
BJ Bollinger then knocked in the go-ahead run with an RBI single to center, driving in Maddie Walter to put the MC girls in front 3-2.
“Gary’s the kind of coach that is always going to keep you on the edge of your seat,” Hough said. “You know that he’s going to find a way, and when they got their runners on third, I’m thinking, ‘Some way, somehow, he’s going to find a way to get that go-ahead run,’ which he did. All credit to Manheim Central. They’re a good team.”
Warwick, though, had an answer.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Marissa Treibley singled to right, and then with two outs, Minney battled back from a 1-2 count to make it full against Maddie Walter before smashing an RBI triple to left-center to drive in courtesy runner Kaitlin Smith with the tying run. When the relay throw skipped past MC third baseman Codi Bollinger, Minney scored to make it 4-3.
“We were just trying to keep our pitches down so we didn’t have any long ball situation,” Lefever said, “and it just didn’t quite work out. I think the ball was left up a little bit, no discredit to Maddie, she pitched a great game. But we’re working out the kinks in our first game.”
The two-out rally continued when Leann Runkle doubled to left, and then Seibert followed with an RBI single to put the Lady Warriors ahead 5-3.
Walter allowed nine hits in the game, while striking out four and walking two.
“I think the big thing coming off of being no-hit by Donegal and then falling behind 3-2, especially after Amanda’s home run, I think immediately you can kinda be like, ‘Here we go again,’” Hough said. “But the kids were really resilient. They relied on each other to pick each other up and they did it.”