Summer goes by pretty fast. No. 6 Mount Vernon softball is going to need some games like the one it won 3-2 over Anamosa on Friday, June 6, at Van Metre Family Softball Field.
“Everything you go through in a season prepares you for the end of the season,” Mount Vernon coach Robin Brand said. “In the seventh inning we showed no fear. We had faith in each other that we were going to pull this out.”
The Blue Raiders had pushed the Mustangs for six innings, and
were excited to try and pull off the upset.
Mount Vernon had only had three hits through six innings when Brynlee Bettcher came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the seventh.
“I just wanted contact, nothing else,” the sophomore said. “Make contact for my team and get on base.”
Bettcher did a little better than that, hitting a rocket to center field that flew over the outfielder’s head. Bettcher ended up on second base, and because she is the catcher, was replaced by courtesy runner Sorell Telecky.
The next hitter was sophomore Rylee Rasmussen. She hit a burner up the middle that bounced off the pitcher’s toe and rolled to the outfield grass.
It was enough to get Telecky home and earn the Mustangs a walk-off win.
“I didn’t mean to hit the pitcher,” Rasmussen said. “I was hoping she wouldn’t get her glove down. She had made amazing plays all night.
“I thought if I hit it hard enough, she wouldn’t have a chance to field it.”
Anamosa pitcher Rebekah Graham had given the Mustangs fits with her ability to change speeds and locate.
“She was a little inside, she was a little outside, she had some off speed,” Brands said. “It keeps you off balance a little bit. Then you just figure things out. We just had to be patient.”
Mount Vernon scored two in the second inning – one on an error and one on an RBI single by Hayden Gookin.
Gookin limited the Blue Raiders to five hits and one walk, and struck out seven on the mound. But Anamosa put together three hits in the fourth inning to tie the game. The rally ended when Bettcher threw out a baserunner trying to steal third.
The young catcher has been getting tips from former catcher Kenna Rollinger (a 2024 grad), who is helping coach this summer.
“Brynnlee is extremely coachable, and wants to get better,” Brands said. “She doesn’t make the same mistake twice. She gets better because of it.”
Overall, it has been a learn-on-the-go theme for a young Mustang infield that includes three sophomores, a junior and a freshman.
“We have a whole new infield,” Brand said. “They’ve done a good job of coming together.
“After losses to Grinnell, I told them the main thing is communication. That’s something you can control. And gosh, these girls love to talk. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Mount Vernon started the week with two home losses to No. 14 (4A) Grinnell, 4-1 and 7-1, on Monday, June 2.
In the first game, Gookin pitched a four-hitter, striking out nine. The Mustangs had just four hits, led by Gookin, with a solo home run.
In the second game, Rasmussen had two hits.
A game against No. 7 (2A) Lisbon on Tuesday, June 3, was suspended for rain and lightning with Mount Vernon leading 8-3 midway through the top of the fourth inning at Bunting Field. The plan is to finish it, but a date has not been set.
The Mustangs swept a pair at Independence on Wednesday, June 4, 4-1 and 10-6.
In the first game, Gookin pitched a four-hitter with 13 strikeouts. Abbie Moss had two RBIs.
In the second game, MV had seven hits, including three by Bettcher.
After the win over Anamosa, the Mustangs finished the week by splitting a pair of games Saturday at a tournament in Oskaloosa.
Mount Vernon beat Newton, 9-1, and lost to Pella, 6-2.
Against Newton, Olivia Haverback hit 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs, and Abbie Moss had a double and two RBIs.