MOUNT VERNON — She led her team to the doorstep of a state championship as a sophomore.
What will Jocelyn Scarbury do for an encore?
The North Central Ohio Pitcher of the Year, Scarbury twirled Mount Vernon into the state championship game last week at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. The Yellow Jackets came within a couple of innings of their first-ever state crown before falling 8-6 to Painesville Riverside.
Scarbury was 16-3 with a 1.39 earned run average and 142 strikeouts in 110.1 innings. She struck out 13 in Mount Vernon’s 9-2 win over Big Walnut in the district championship game and limited Watkins Memorial to one hit in a 12-1 win in the regional semifinals.
Scarbury was even better in the regional championship game, firing a five-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts in an 11-0 win over Dublin Scioto.
The right-hander was selected to the All-Ohio first team in Division II and was a Licking County League first-team selection.
Scarbury is the ace of a three-person pitching staff that combined to go 48-12 with 509 strikeouts and a 1.57 earned run average.
Caliyah Clapper, Madison
Just a freshman, Clapper pitched the Rams to an outright Ohio Cardinal Conference championship and an eyelash of their first state tournament appearance since 1995. Clapper was 17-7 with 202 strikeouts in 152 innings of work with a 2.02 ERA. She was the OCC Pitcher of the Year and an All-Ohio second-team selection in Division III.
Addy Bocock, Danville
A junior right-hander, Bocock was overpowering as the Blue Devils went undefeated in Knox Morrow Athletic Conference play. She was 15-2 with a 1.11 ERA. She struck out 165 batters in 106.2 innings. Bocock was a KMAC and Central District first-teamer. She was a Division VI All-Ohio honorable-mention selection in Division VI.