MV softball gets win

MOUNT VERNON — It didn’t take long for the Mount Vernon High School softball team to show its offensive prowess on Tuesday afternon. Trisha Gentry smacked a three-run triple to right field in the bottom of the first inning to lead Mount Vernon to a 3-0 shutout over Whitehall. The Yellow Jackets improve to 4-0 on the season.

After a productive first inning offensivley, Mount Vernon was quiet the rest of the game.

“Our problem right now that I get on them about is they only have one big inning of hits. We really need to step it up, and we need to help out those top three or four hitters and start getting a bat on the ball,” said Mount Vernon head coach Carisa Grove.

Senior Kaitlin Campbell led the Yellow Jackets’ defensive efforts with her performance on the mound. Campbell (3-0) struck out eight batters, and gave up five hits.

“She makes it really easy on me as a coach calling pitches because she has so many. She has got a lot of movement,” said Campbell.

Campbell feels her duties as pitcher are due in part to the solid defensive core backing her up on the field.

“I think it is going really, really well and we have a great team this year all the way around. I am really confident with the defense we have behind me,” Campbell said.

Mount Vernon’s ace pitcher has also started off the season with an impressive average at the plate, going 11-for-14.

“Me and my Dad go to the cages a lot and it just kind of comes natural I guess because I have been playing fast pitch for eight years now. Hitting is my favorite part of the game, besides pitching,” said Campbell.

Mount Vernon catcher Bailee Marcum was walked twice as another team avoided the key Yellow Jacket, which is another reason Grove stresses is important for the rest of her lineup to step up at the plate.

“Offensivley, we are hitting but we are not stringing them together like we should every inning,” said Grove.

The Rams biggest scoring opportunity came during the top of the fourth. Lauren Beatty hit a double to left field and Pope headed home. Left fielder Kylee Marcum hooked up with big sister Bailee at home plate for the tag out. Mount Vernon finished the top of the fifth and sixth with three-up, three-down. Whitehall had one last chance to score in the seventh. Beatty advanced to second base on an error, but the next three batters were all struck out by Campbell.

For Mount Vernon, Mackenzie Shaw went 3-for-3 with one run scored, Campbell went 1-for-2 with one run scored and Gentry went 1-for-3 with three RBI. Kylee Marcum was 2-for-3, Bailee Marcum scored once and Jess Gall was 1-for-3.

The Yellow Jackets travel to Big Walnut on Thursday for a nonconference matchup at 5 p.m.

“It will be another good game for us,” said Grove.