MV tennis places fifth in home invitational

The Mount Vernon tennis team finished fifth in its own Mount Vernon Invitational on Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets scored 16 points in the eight-team tournament held at Memorial Park and Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s Ramser Tennis Courts. Watkins Memorial won three of the five categories and won event with 30 points.

Mason Tocheff finished fourth in first singles, while the team of Liam McCarty and Elijah Weatherby placed fourth at first doubles.

Jackson Sigman came in fifth at third singles, as did the second doubles team of Ben Henricksen and Cole Smith. Griffin Beach placed sixth at second singles.

“We finished in the middle of the pack, and that’s what I expected,” said Mount Vernon coach Steve Tier. “It was good to see Mason and the team of Liam and Elijah win their first matches to make it to the semifinals.

“Overall, I thought it was a balanced event with five of the teams having finalists.”

Softball

The Mount Vernon softball team won four of its five games this week.

The Yellow Jackets started the week with perfection.

MV pitchers Miranda Oswalt and Emerson Creech combined on a perfect game, leading the Jackets to a 13-0 victory over Northridge on April 8. The duo did not allow a base runner, with Oswalt striking out five in three innings of work and Creech fanning three in the final two innings.

Mea Joyner and Layla Joyner led the offense, each cracking two singles. Brooklyn Cook, Hailey Rudrick and Jocelyn Scarbury all doubled, and Gabby Beck, Creech and Isla Graham each had a single.

The Jackets followed that up with a huge 10-4 victory over Watkins Memorial.

Pitching was again a major factor in the win, as Scarbury allowed just one hit on the day. She struck out five and walked one.

Rudrick sparked the offense with two home runs, a single and four RBI on the day. Beck added two doubles, while Scarbury had a double and a single. Harley Styndl cracked two singles; Cook had a double; and Layla Joyner, Oswalt and Graham all singled.

MV jumped out to a 9-2 lead on April 11, then held on to beat Johnstown, 9-6.

Scarbury, Keely Pollard and Lexi Ringwalt all homered for MV, with Scarbury also belting a single and driving in four runs. Cook tripled; Beck had two singles; and Rudrick had one hit.

Beck started on the hill for MV, striking out five in 5.1 innings of work. Scarbury finished up, allowing two hits and two walks.

On Monday, the Jackets cruised to a 10-4 victory over Granville.

Pollard smacked two solo home runs to pace the Jackets. Scarbury added a home run and a single, while Styndl and Ringwalt both homered. Beck cracked a double and a single, while Addison Smith doubled. Cook and Rudrick both singled.

Oswalt pitched the first 4.1 innings, striking out six. Allydia Bell finished up, fanning two.

The week ended in heartbreak as Licking Valley scored once in the eighth inning to defeat the Jackets, 3-2.

The Panthers scored two in the first inning but MV was able to knot the game up with two in the sixth on a two-run home run by Scarbury. The Panthers got a home run in the bottom of the eighth to win.

Rudrick cracked two singles to help Scarbury lead the Jackets’ offense. Ringwalt and Cook both singled.

Scarbury took the hard-luck loss on the mound, fanning 12 in 7.1 innings of work.

Baseball

The Mount Vernon baseball team dropped three games this week, running its losing streak to five games.

Northridge exploded late, scoring 14 runs in the final three innings to beat MV, 16-7, on April 8.

Travis Burak led the Jackets with a double. Greyson Deem smacked two singles, while Gavin Gorsuch, Jax McPeek, Cash Cook and Dakota Stafford all singled.

Coen Armstrong started on the hill for MV, fanning three in 4.2 innings of work. Zayden Comer, Gorsuch and Stafford finished up.

Mount Vernon tried to rally from an early deficit, but fell 5-3 to Watkins Memorial on April 10.

McPeek led the Jackets offensively with two doubles. Cooper Waers added a triple, while Dammon Wolfe and Cook each had two singles. Burak and Deem both singled.

Burak threw the first 3.2 innings, fanning three. Zack Beck finished up, fanning two.

An eight-run sixth inning ended up being costly for the Jackets on April 13, as they dropped a 14-5 decision to host Granville.

Gorsuch led the MV offense with two doubles. Deem added a double and a single, while Wolfe had two singles. McPeek and Burak both doubled.

Hershberger was roughed up in 1.2 innings, striking out one. Armstrong, Stafford and Beck also pitched for MV.