FORTVILLE — One inning proved to be the difference in Tuesday’s Class 4A Softball Sectional 9 semifinal contest between two county rivals.
Mt. Vernon (22-3) scored four runs in the second inning and led the rest of the way in a 6-4 victory against Greenfield-Central (17-11) at Mt. Vernon High School.
It was the Marauders second win of the season over the Cougars. On April 26, Mt. Vernon won 5-0.
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The Marauders will play No. 4 Pendleton Heights in today’s 6 p.m. championship game. It is a rematch of last year’s finale, won by Pendleton Heights.
“No disrespect to Mt. Vernon, but I felt we outplayed them in six of the seven innings,” Greenfield-Central coach Jason Stewart said. “We out-hit them (9-6), but they strung together an error, a couple walks and one hard-hit ball to get four runs.”
The Marauders had just two hits in their four-run frame.
With the score tied 1-1, the big second inning made all the difference.
Macey Cox and Allison Myers drew one-out walks. A throwing error on a ground ball off the bat of Chloee Yocum scored Cox with the go-ahead run. Leadoff hitter Riley Hasseld, who went 3-for-4, followed with an RBI-single. Anelise Worden drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. After a wild pitch, Hasseld scored on a single by Sydnee Perry.
“Lately, our hitting has not been what we have wanted and we’ve talked about being more aggressive on the bases and being able to take advantage of what other teams give us,” Mt. Vernon coach Veronica Kirby said.
The Cougars put hits together in the fourth to score once and cut the Marauders lead to 5-2. Ellie Ewald was hit by pitch. She moved up on a single by Madge Weidner and scored on a single by Macy Francis.
The Marauders got the run back in the fifth. Haley Kissee led off with a double, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch.
Like it did in the second, Greenfield-Central quickly got the run back. Emily Francis opened the sixth with a deep home run to left field to cut it to 6-3.
In the seventh, Jessi Rankin reached on a fielder’s choice and went to third on a double off the fence by Lexi Rankin. Caroline Gibson followed with an RBI-single, but the next two hitters were retired to end the game.
For the Cougars, Tuesday’s loss was the final game for 10 seniors.
“A lot of those girls have played varsity since they were sophomores,” Stewart said. “Our goal this year was to play our best ball at the end of the season. We played our best in these last two games. We just couldn’t get the breaks (Tuesday).”
Mt. Vernon scored first in the first. Hasseld led off with a single, moved to second on Worden’s sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by Kissee. Greenfield-Central quickly tied it in the second with a solo home run from freshman Ewald.
Eight different Cougars had hits. Freshman Megan Wineinger went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles.
For the Marauders, along with Hasseld’s strong day at the plate, Kissee went 2-for-3.
Mt. Vernon sophomore pitcher Karlee Franklin had five strikeouts, one each in the first five innings. Greenfield-Central pitcher Lexi Rankin had four strikeouts.
The Cougars left eight on base and hit into two double plays.
Pendleton Heights beat Mt. Vernon 3-1 in last year’s championship game.
“I am super proud of this year’s team to go 22-3 and get to (the sectional championship game),” Kirby said. “We lost five seniors that played big roles last year, and this team has fought hard and had great chemistry. I’m super proud of them and what they have accomplished.
“It wasn’t easy. Greenfield is a tough team.”
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Mt. Vernon 6, Greenfield-Central 4
G-C (17-11);010;101;0;—;4;9;2
MV (22-3);140;010;X;—;6;6;3
WP: Karlee Franklin. LP: Lexi Rankin.
HR: Ellie Ewald, Emily Francis (G-C). 2B: Lexi Rankin (G-C); Haley Kissee (MV), RBI: Ellie Ewald, Macy Francis, Emily Francis, Caroline Gibson (G-C); Haley Kissee, Riley Hasseld, Anelise Worden, Sydnee Perry (MV).
Notables: Megan Wineinger 2-for-3, Ellie Ewald 1-for-3 HR, RBI, 2 R (G-C); Riley Hasseld 3-for-4, 2 R, RBI, Haley Kissee 2-for-3 2B, RBI, R (MV)
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