The Mount Vernon Yellow Jackets have had a hot start to the softball season, going 4-1 in the early going leading up to conference play.
Mount Vernon 7, Whitney Young (Chicago, Illinois) 5
Mount Vernon traveled to Choctawhatchee High School in Fort Walton Beach, Florida for the Beach Bash on March 24, and the Yellow Jackets scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning to come back and beat Whitney Young 7-5.
Whitney Young got on the board for a pair of runs in the first inning, when Nyah Allen and Sydney Gilbert scored, after doubling and singling respectively. In the bottom of the second inning, Grace Bates hit a solo shot to left for the Yellow Jackets to cut the lead to one.
In the bottom of the third inning, Jocelyn Scarbury smashed a homer to right field to give the Yellow Jackets a 3-2 lead, but Whitney Young took a 5-3 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
The Yellow Jackets tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Bates. Mount Vernon retired the side in order in the top of the sixth, and then the Yellow Jackets went to work on offense.
Rylee Myers hit a single to left to start the inning, and then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Carly Kennedy bunted for a single but Myers was held at third. Kennedy then stole second, and Hailey Rudrick singled to center to drive in two runs to take a 7-5 lead. Whitney Young was retired in order to end the game, completing the come-from-behind victory.
Scarbury was solid in relief, going five and two-thirds innings allowing three earned runs, five hits, five walks and seven strikeouts to pick up the win. She was also a force at the dish going 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs.
Rudrick, Kennedy and Bates also had two hits, with Bates drilling a two run homer. McKenzie Krownapple was 1-for-3 with a double.
Mount Vernon 9, Mayfield 8
On March 25, the Yellow Jackets won in another thriller, when Kennedy hit an RBI single for a walk-off win over Mayfield.
Mayfield had a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, but Mount Vernon piled on fie runs to take a 6-4 lead. However, in the sixth inning Emily Daedelow of Mayfield hit a homer to center, and Ageleah Saltenis singled to score two runs. They out four on the board in the sixth to go up 8-6. Mount Vernon cut the lead to one with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Presli Pope singled to center, and then Kendall Poole was hit by a pitch. Lydia Hill followed with a walk to load up the bases. Myers then walked to tie the the game at 8-8, and Kennedy followed the walk with a bases loaded single to win the game.
Keely Pollard hit a homer in the game, and Poole and Myers each had two hits and two RBIs. Bates went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Rudrick went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Addison Parker picked up the win in the circle for Mount Vernon. She pitched four innings of relief ball, allowing three earned runs and five total, nine hits and struck out two.
Mount Vernon 10, Fort Walton Beach 3
On March 28, the Yellow Jackets took a 10-3 victory over Fort Walton Beach, thanks to big four through six innings to secure the win.
The game was tied 1-1 in the first inning, with Kennedy scoring when Krownapple hit a line drive that was mishandled by the right fielder. It remained tied until the fourth inning, when the Yellow Jackets put four on the board.
Brooklyn Dovenbarger scored on a wild pitch to take the lead, and then Myers walked. This was followed by Kennedy hitting an inside the park home run, scoring two to make it a 5-1 game.
In the fourth inning, Pollard hit an RBI single, and Meredith Jones followed with a two run single. In the sixth inning, Pollard hit an RBI single to make it a 9-1 game. Jones walked to make it a 10-1 game, and while Fort Walton Beach added two more runs in the sixth inning, the Yellow Jackets were able to hold on for the win.
Kennedy had three RBIs with a 1-for-4 day including the inside the park homer. Pollard went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Jones was 1-for-2 with three RBIs.
Scarbury got the win, going three and two-thirds innings allowing an earned run, three hits, two walks and five strikeouts.
Mount Vernon 8, Olentangy 4
Dovenbarger drilled a solo shot to center and Carly Kennedy drove in two runs on a double in the second inning, setting the tone in an 8-4 win over the Olentangy Braves on March 29.
Rudrick went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Jones went 2-for-3 with a solo homer. Pollard hit two doubles and drove in a pair of runs. Kennedy doubled and had two RBIs, as well.
Scarbury went all seven innings allowing four runs, but none of them earned. She allowed four hits and six walks, and struck out four batters.
Mosinee 6, Mount Vernon 5
Mount Vernon dropped their first game of the young season in a 6-5 nail biter on March 29, despite piling on 10 hits in the game.
Rudrick went 2-for-4 with a triple to lead the offense for the Yellow Jackets. Parker went 2-for-2 with a double and Joyner went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Kennedy, Poole and Pope all doubled in the game.
Parker pitched three inning to start the game, giving up four earned runs, six hits and two walks, while striking out a batter. Miranda Oswalt pitched three innings of relief, allowing two hits, one run but unearned, and two walks. She also struck out one batter.
