Manhattan Optimist Moxie opened up its summer season with the 15th Annual Xtreme Showdown in Wichita over the weekend, record a 5-0 mark in pool play prior to the tournament’s bracket play being rained out.
Playing in four games on Saturday, Moxie defeated Extreme to open to its slate with a 8-0 win behind a 10-strikeout, no-hitter by Acelyn Rottinghaus who pitched to Emma Liby.
Reese Grady started the summer offense with a hit up the middle on the first pitch of the game. Hailey Lies added a single, Rottinghaus singled with two RBI, while Payton Sturdy laid down a perfect squeeze bunt single to score a run. Caitlyn Fleming also recorded a single. Speedster Brooklyn Dye had 2 stolen bases, as did Lies, while Sturdy and Grady each added one stolen base.
In the next game, Moxie defeated the Kansas Patriots 8-2 as Grady and Lies each went 2-for-3 with Rottinghaus connecting for a double. Isla Sallman earned the win in the cirlce, tossing to Caitlyn Fleming, while allowing one hit and striking out five.
In its third game of the day, Moxie faced Venom Beckley from Liberal, winning 11-0. Moxie had seven hits, while Venom committed three errors and walked four batters to contribute to the margin of victory.
Grady tripled and carded two RBI while Isla Sallman doubled in the game and went 2-for-2. Rottinghaus, Emma Liby and Kaylee Liby each singled with an RBI while Delayni Clark had a long sacrifice fly. Dye and Lies each added a stolen base. Rottinghaus earned the win, fanning five while allowing two hits.
In their final game of the day, Moxie faced Kansas Shockers, winning 5-0 despite offensive struggles through the first four innings.
“The Shockers pitcher was effectively slow and it took our batters too long to adjust,” coach Jeri Brummett said.
Kaylee Liby opened things up in the bottom of the fourth with a single followed by a Grady double to drive in the games’ first run. Sallman added a double, additional hits came from Rottinghaus, Emma Liby, Fleming and Clark. Rottinghaus earned with win, toeing the rubber to allow three hits while fanning eight, allowing one walk.
Sunday morning brought wet fields and a misty game as Moxie defeated G2 Heat Kvasnicka 3-1 in a close game throughout. Hailey Lies had a big home run in the game, Grady doubled, Dye had a sacrifice fly and Grady added a stolen base. Sallman earned the win, allowing four hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
Across pool play, Moxie finished 5-0, allowing three runs with three shutouts. Additionally on offense, Moxie scored 35 runs to put them in the driver’s seat of the 12 teams in the tournament. Grady led the offense with six hits in the five games.
Rain delayed and eventually cancelled the event’s bracket play. Manhattan Optimist Moxie will head to Topeka next weekend for the Father’s Day All-Turf tournament.
Moxie is made up of primarily Rock Creek High School members with the roster including Grady, Dye, Rottinghaus, Sturdy, Emma Liby, Lies, Elliot Barnes, Clark, Fleming, Sallman, Kaylee Liby and Maleigh Owens (Onaga). The team is coached by Michele Holaday and Brummett.