EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was written by Knox Pages correspondent Dan Werner.
AKRON — Say it loud: State championship bound!
The Mount Vernon girls softball team will play for a Division II state championship on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in Akron.
In a game that could’ve followed a Hollywood script, the Yellow Jackets stopped Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 5-4 in Saturday’s state semifinals to earn the honor of being the first Mount Vernon High School team in any sport to play for a state championship.
Once coach Ryan Pentz caught his breath, he explained that his squad had been learning to overcome adversity all year. That is exactly what happened on Saturday afternoon at Firestone Stadium.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Jackets faced that adversity, after two walks and two errors gave the Generals a 4-2 lead.
“That’s not typical of us,” Pentz said. “We are going through growth, and we had to go through it very quickly.”
But the Yellow Jackets fought back with two runs in the top of the seventh for the victory.
The game ended in the bottom of the seventh with a play that had more moving parts than a Swiss timepiece. With one out and a runner on first base, third baseman Brooklyn Dovenbarger fielded a bunt and threw to first base for the second out.
In the meantime, the General on second base broke for third, not realizing that catcher Hailey Rudrick was racing down the baseline to cover the bag. Keely Pollard then threw a rocket back across the diamond to complete the double play at third and stamp the Jackets’ ticket to the finals.
Mount Vernon will play Painesville Riverside for the state championship. The Beavers defeated Massillon Perry 2-0 in the other state semifinal.
The Generals finished the season with a 25-5 record. The Yellow Jackets improved to a superb 27-2 with this victory.
Mount Vernon cracked a scoreless tie in the top of the third. Harley Styndl drilled a double down the left field line, and scored on a triple from Rylee Myers. Carly Kennedy reached on a bunt that scored Myers.
Anthony Wayne responded immediately, knotting the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning. Lyla Carrizale singled, driving in Addie Beining. Payton DeTray later bunted in Kenleigh White.
The Generals moved on top 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Molly Connor singled to center and scored on an RBI double by Kaci Jo Carter. Carter came all the way around to score on a throwing error.
In the top of the fifth, the Yellow Jackets got within 4-3 after Myers plated Styndl with a two-out single to left.
MV got a couple of defensive gems in the bottom of the sixth to stay close after diving catches by Pollard and Jocelyn Scarbury.
That set the stage for the dramatic seventh inning.
Grace Bates led off with a single to right center. Meredith Jones brought her home with a clutch, game-tying double to left center. Styndl then struck with a dagger single to center to drive in Jones for a 5-4 Mount Vernon lead.
The Generals got a single from Lyla Carrizale in the bottom of the seventh, but the Yellow Jackets eye-catching double play finished it.
The victory boosted MV’s record to 27-2. The loss snapped Anthony Wayne’s eight-game winning streak.
Scarbury spent all seven innings in the pitchers’ circle, racking up six strikeouts. Myers went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and one run scored.
Mount Vernon has won 21 straight games dating to a 5-4 loss at Watkins Memorial on April 11.
(Photos by Malaki Stanfield)
Daughters know best
A large contingent of Mount Vernon faithful made their way to Akron’s Firestone Stadium for Saturday’s state semifinal. More are expected on Sunday as the girls softball squad is gunning for the first team state championship in school history.
Among the fandom on Saturday was Jason Joyner. The Mount Vernon man has two daughters on the team, Mea and Layla.
So, to acknowledge their accomplishment of reaching the final four, Papa Joyner painted his face orange and black, donned Mount Vernon Yellow Jackets hat and shirt, and cheered on his daughters and their teammates.
“I told them if they made it to state, I would decorate,” Papa Joyner said. “I’m just following through.”
