Manning, Big Red hold off John Marshall
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STEUBENVILLE -- With the lead cut in half and the tying run standing on third base, Big Red's Aydan Manning needed to dig deep to get the last and hardest out of his stellar outing on Wednesday.
The junior did just that, firing a strikeout to seal a 2-1 Big Red victory over visiting John Marshall.
The swinging punchout was his sixth in a complete game effort.
"It showed his composure," Big Red head coach Fred Heatherington said of Manning responding to get the last out. "He pitched well, he was around the plate the whole game. He didn't bean nobody, he (only had two walks). He threw really well. Our defense played well. If you pitch well, your defense is ready to play.
"We made some big plays, we turned a big double play (in the third)."
After having its first two scheduled games of the week postponed or cancelled by the weather, a victory in a tight game made it worth the wait for Big Red (6-13).
"It was good to be out here," Heatherington said. "We have to keep going. We're getting better, we just have to stay together and keep fighting and (Wednesday) we did."
Steubenville struck first with a run in the bottom of the first, Bubby Reese crossing after an error on a ball put in play by Cole Bowers.
That would remain the score until the sixth as both teams missed chances to score.
After Manning worked out of a jam in the top of the sixth, leaving Monarchs (12-15) at second and third, Big Red loaded the bases in the bottom half and added what proved to be a pivotal insurance run when Reese singled to plate a run and make it 2-0.
The Monarchs' Alex Wilhelm made things interesting with a two-out RBI triple in the top of the seventh with a well hit ball off the fence in right, but Manning recovered to end the threat and the game.
"We made it interesting at the end, but we just didn't have very good at-bats early in the game though," JM head coach Mark Cisar said. "Their pitcher threw really well, though. He changed speeds, kept us off balance and they fielded the ball really well. We squandered a couple chances. We left a guy at third and they got theirs in.
"It was a well-pitched game by both guys, (Manning) threw very well and I thought (Braden) Sobutka threw well. Them sneaking that extra run across in the sixth made the difference. You don't think about that much at 1-0, but at 2-0 it makes it tougher.
"It was a good baseball game."
UP NEXT
John Marshall: Has a makeup game today hosting St. Clairsville.
Big Red: Hosts Indian Creek today. Steubenville's game with Buckeye Local that was rained out Tuesday will now be played on Friday.
Big Red 2, John Marshall 1
John Marshall 0-0-0 0-0-0 1 – 1 5 3
Big Red 1-0-0 0-0-1 x – 2 7 2
JOHN MARSHALL (12-15): Bra. Sobutka (LP, 5 1/3IP, 2R, 1ER, 7H, 0K, 4BB), Koontz (2/3IP, 0R, 0H, 1K, 0BB). Coffield 3S; Haynes S; Koontz S; Wilhelm T, RBI.
BIG RED (6-13): Manning (WP, CG, 1R, 1ER, 5H, 6K, 2BB) and Smith. Reese S, RBI; Smith S; Manning S; DoBreff S; Saccocia S.