FORTVILLE — Mt. Vernon’s softball lineup may vary throughout the season, but there are at least two spots that head coach Veronica Kirby can put down in pen and not pencil.
The 2024 season will be seniors Shelby Rakosky and Easton Wampler fourth year each as a member of the starting lineup. Rakosky will be the starting shortstop for the second straight year, but can play a number of different positions.
Wampler has been the team’s catcher since she got to high school, but she, too, has shown her versatility throughout her career.
Both hit 12 home runs and drove in 37 last year. Rakosky hit .506 and also had 11 doubles. She has committed to play softball in college at Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati.
Wampler has not made her college choice yet. She hit .421, giving the Marauders one of the more potent 1-2 punches in Hancock County and the Hoosier Heritage Conference.
“I definitely look to those two to step up and be leaders, and they know that,” Kirby said. “They are not very local leaders, but they lead through their actions.”
Kirby’s club was 14-11 last year and 3-4 in the HHC. This year’s team will have five seniors, and of the 15 members listed on the roster, seven are sophomores.
Along with Rakosky and Wampler, seniors Ainsley Baer, Hannah Matthews and Lili Jenkins will also be expected to be solid contributors, and provide more of the vocal leadership.
Baer started in center field last season and played some second base. She hit .239 with two doubles.
Matthews played in 18 games last year, mainly on defense, at second base. She had just six at-bats, but will get more opportunities at the plate this year. She’s performed in clutch situations before, having a big hit during her sophomore year in an upset win over New Palestine.
Jenkins, like Rakosky and Wampler, will play college ball after graduation. She has committed to Manchester University in North Manchester, Ind., and will play in the same conference next year as Rakosky (Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference).
Jenkins played in 20 games last season and is expected to be one of the starting outfielders.
Just a sophomore, Emma Jenkins, Lili’s younger sister, is one of the top returning hitters.
The starting first baseman much of last season, Jenkins hit .323 with six doubles. She’ll also backup Wampler behind the plate.
Kirby’s biggest question to answer will be in the circle.
Junior Graci Hines was the team’s No. 1 pitcher as a freshman, but she was slowed last year due to a hip injury and was out early in the year. She had hip surgery and has been cleared to play, but not yet cleared to pitch.
She was another big hitter in last year’s lineup, hitting .366 with three home runs in only 12 games. She was 4-3 as a pitcher with a 3.26 earned run average.
Kirby said she’s hopeful Hines can get back in the circle next month. Until then, Hines will do most of her work at either third base or first base.
Sophomore Sophie Rauschhaupt was 4-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 11 games and 35 innings pitched in 2023, but she’s coming off knee surgery and is not expected back until early next month.
With Hines and Rauschhaupt on the shelf for the pitching staff, sophomore Aubrey Lowe and Cora Rush should get some innings in the circle along with Rakosky.
Juniors Abigail Elliott and Addy Riffle and sophomores Breanna Laffey, Mikayla Oger, and Emery Wampler are also in the mix for playing time.
“We have a lot of talent. We just have to find what really works for us,”Kirby said. “We have to find what’s clicking and find that right chemistry. The girls have to feel that, and I think they will and they’ll figure it out and figure out what is going to work and what is not going to work.
“I think we could have a really good season. I’m really excited about it. We definitely have some strong leadership.”
The season opens Tuesday at Zionsville. The first four dates (five games) are all on the road. The first home game is a Hoosier Heritage Conference contest against Yorktown on April 9.
–
2024 Mt. Vernon Softball Schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
March 26;at Zionsville;6 p.m.
March 27;at Carmel;6 p.m.
April 3;at Franklin Central;6 p.m.
April 6;at Lutheran (DH);11 a.m.
April 9;vs. Yorktown;6 p.m.
April 10;at Connersville;6 p.m.
April 12;vs. Hamilton Southeastern;5:30 p.m.
April 13;vs. Columbus East (DH);10 a.m.
April 15;vs. New Castle;5:30 p.m.
April 16;at Frankton;5:30 p.m.
April 18;vs. New Palestine;6 p.m.
April 22;vs. Delta;6 p.m.
April 23;at Lapel;5:30 p.m.
April 25;at Fishers;5:30 p.m.
April 26;at Greenfield-Central;7 p.m.
April 29;at Noblesville;5:30 p.m.
April 30;vs. Shelbyville;6 p.m.
May 2;at Pendleton Heights;6 p.m.
May 3;vs. Westfield;6 p.m.
May 7;at Shenandoah;5:30 p.m.
May 8;vs. Lawrence North;6 p.m.
May 13;vs. Anderson;5:30 p.m.
May 15;at Warren Central;5:30 p.m.
May 16;vs. Center Grove;6 p.m.
May 18;vs. West Washington;10 a.m.
May 18;vs. Elwood;TBD
