Lady Mt’neers sweep huge week leading into districts

By: 
Skylan Akins

It was a busy week for Mt. Vernon softball with six games against six very good teams including four matchups against state-ranked teams.

Versus Strafford
The week started Monday with a trip to Strafford to take on the 10th-ranked Lady Indians. The Lady Mt’neers struck first as four of the first five batters of the game reached base safely resulting in a 2-RBI single by freshman Rae Downing. The Lady Mt’neers struck again in the second inning thanks to a two-run blast by Josey McChesney to go up 5-0. Mt. Vernon left the yard again in the top of the third this time by freshman Cheyenne Bieber to extend to a 6-0 lead. Senior Harley Daniels was fantastic in the circle going the distance allowing one earned run, five hits and striking out seven as the Lady Mt’neers cruised to an 8-1 win.

Versus Pierce City
Next up, was a Tuesday night double-header with Pierce City and Clever. Pitching dominated the first game as Daniels was dealing once again for the Lady Mt’neers. However, the bats were not as quick to wake up. It was a scoreless game through the top of the fourth inning when Mt. Vernon capitalized on a pair of walks and an error as Bieber drove in the first run of the game. The next inning, the Lady Mt’neers manufactured two more runs as freshman Molly Daniels scored on a wild pitch before McChesney drove in sophomore Payge Evans to extend the lead to 3-0. Mt. Vernon struck for four more in the sixth inning behind four hits and two walks and the Lady Mt’neers defeated Pierce City 7-0.

Versus Clever
Mt. Vernon found themselves down in the third inning as Clever struck first with an RBI double to score one run. Mt. Vernon didn’t wait long to respond as the first five batters of the bottom of the third all got a hit. Evans plated one to tie the game, but the big strike was a grand slam by McChesney to take a 5-1 lead. Clever responded with two more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Mt. Vernon doubled them up once again scoring four runs, highlighted by a McChesney triple to extend the lead to 9-3. Clever was unable to make up the rest of the deficit and Mt. Vernon downed the Lady Jays, 10-5.

Versus Diamond
Friday night was the biggest night of the week as the top-ranked team in the state came to Spirit of 76’ Park, as the Lady Mt’neers did battle with Diamond. Harley was on her A-game once again throwing seven innings without allowing an earned run and only one run total, striking out nine batters. Bieber actually started the scoring when she drove in Allie Schubert in the third inning. The Mt’neers were held scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when Molly Daniels drove in Bieber for the game winning run as Mt. Vernon defeated Diamond, 2-1.

Versus College Heights
Saturday saw Spirit of 76’ Park host the Mt. Vernon Invitational Tournament that featured three state-ranked teams. Mt. Vernon opened the day against seventh-ranked College Heights. Pitching dominated this game as Mt. Vernon’s Harley Daniels and College Heights’ Madi Collin were absolutely dealing, only allowing one combined hit and six combined baserunners through the top of the fourth inning. Mt. Vernon struck first as freshman Rae Downing reached on an error and was driven in via sacrifice fly by fellow freshman Cheyenne Bieber to take a 1-0 lead. Mt. Vernon struck again in the fifth, as freshman Molly Daniels was driven in by sophomore Payge Evans. Downing struck again with an RBI single driving in senior Josey McChesney to make it a 3-0 game. College Heights eventually struck with a couple singles and stranded the bases loaded, only scoring one and the Lady Mt’neers took the first game, 3-1.

Versus Strafford
In the final game of the day, Bieber started the game in the circle on fire getting a 1-2-3 inning to start the game. Mt. Vernon was hot at the plate, as well, as Payge Evans led off with a single and Allie Schubert was hit by a pitch. Then Josey McChesney drove one down the third base line getting 2 RBI's with a triple to give the Lady Mt’neers a 2-0 lead. Freshman Rae Downing got the Mt. Vernon faithful on their feet with her third home run of the season to extend the lead 4-0. Strafford got on the board in the third inning behind a pair of doubles, driving in two runs to cut the lead in half 4-2. Mt. Vernon would retaliate with a pair of singles and an error to get those two runs back 6-2. Strafford plated three runs in the top of the fourth inning and just like that, the once comfortable lead was cut to just one, 6-5. Molly Daniels opened the fourth inning with an error and then the flood gates opened. Four straight singles by Mt. Vernon led to two runs before Rae Downing left the yard once again to open up a 12-5 lead.
Both teams scraped one across in the fifth but it all came down to the seventh and final inning. Strafford scored two before they loaded the bases, but with Harley Daniels closing the game, Mt. Vernon held onto the lead 13-8.
The Lady Mt’neers improved to 25-6 on the year. Mt. Vernon had one final tune-up game against Galena, Kan. on Tuesday before kicking off districts this Friday at Spirit of 76’ at 6:30 p.m.

 

Category:

Lawrence County Record

312 S. Hickory St.
Mt. Vernon, MO, 65712
www.lawrencecountyrecord.com

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