Manning powers Arbor View to victory

Arbor View’s baseball team still has a lot of work to do to reach the playoffs.

But the Aggies did their job Thursday by getting a big win.

Senior third baseman Chris Manning made the play of the game in the field and was 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, and three RBIs to help Arbor View to a 4-2 home win over Legacy.

“You take it one game at a time,” Aggies coach Robert Salazar said. “I know that’s an old cliche, but that’s exactly what we have to do right now.”

The Aggies improved to 7-5 in the Northwest League. Legacy and Centennial are tied for third at 8-4. The top four teams advance to the playoffs.

Manning put the Aggies on top by driving in Jacob Badger, who was 3-for-3, and scored on Kyle Ford’s double to make it 2-0 after four innings.

Legacy’s Adam Thompson hit a two-out single in the top of the fifth and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

Manning then made a sensational barehanded play on a bounding ball headed toward the hole to nip speedy leadoff hitter Chase Skinner at first for the third out.

“That play changed the whole game for us,” Manning said. “It turned us around and got our adrenaline going.”

Arbor View started a two-out rally of its own in the bottom of the fifth when Badger reached on a single and took second on an error.

Manning then slammed a 3-2 fastball over the left-field fence for a two-run homer that proved to be the decisive blow.

“It was a fastball high that I just got to, “ Manning said. “I knew he was going to throw it. He threw the change-up before that pitch, and I knew that he wasn’t going to come with another change-up. So I was looking for that fastball high just to catch it right and turn on it.”

“You make a mistake like that and good hitters will make you pay,” Legacy coach Bill Dexheimer said. “He’s (Manning) a good hitter, and he definitely made us pay right there.”

Legacy got an unearned run and scored again on a fielder’s choice to make it 4-2 in the top of the seventh inning.

Borden retired the final two in the seventh, stranding Skinner on second. The Longhorns left seven runners on base.

Borden gave up six hits and struck out four to earn the win.

Christiansen went 2-for-4 for Legacy (18-6, 8-4).