Vernon softball played 13 innings in a doubleheader sweep of Marion on Wednesday, June 11, at Van Metre Family Field.
That including a walk-off 5-4 win in the opener in extra innings.
“That was important,” sophomore pitcher Hayden Gookin said. “It would’ve been bad if we dropped a game. Not that we should’ve gone into extra innings … but even if we’re down when we shouldn’t be, it’s good that we can come back.”
Marion took advantage of a dropped pop-up to plate two runs in the fourth inning. It was the kind of mistake that could have cost the Mustangs.
But Mount Vernon came though. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Libby Dix reached base on a single up the middle. She was bunted to second by Carly Elliott, then scored when the Marion second baseman flubbed a hard-hit grounder by No. 9 hitter Lucy Wischmeyer.
“I was just trying to do everything for our team,” Wischmeyer said. “I knew going up to the plate, you can go two ways with it. It can get in your head, and think ‘I can’t do this,’ but I had decided to believe in myself the entire time.
“Even when the pitcher got up on me with those two strikes, I just trusted in myself.”
It was an important win, considering the Mustangs are one game back of Solon in the Wamac East.
“It means we are becoming more resilient,” Coach Robin Brand said. “Gosh. We just look better every time we play. I think they are doing some really special things.”
Gookin pitched all eight innings, liming the Wolves to four hits and striking out 11.
The sophomore passed 500 career strikeouts later in the week in a 9-0 win over Regina on Friday, June 13.
Considering she pitched last season with a broken foot, and spent much of the offseason recovering from surgery … it is a notable accomplishment.
“She went through a lot,” Brand said. “People don’t see what she did in the offseason to get back to where she was.
“She had to maintain a positive mentality and stay focused. She just worked hard. She did everything they wanted her to do so she could come back.”
Gookin said she hated missing entire fall season, but is excited to be playing pain free.
“Every game last year it hurt,” Gookin said. “Then not being able to play was really hard. But I had super good support the entire time.”
Both Coach and pitcher say that Gookin has matured as a pitcher. She knows how to pitch in different counts and has increased her strength and spin rate. But most importantly, her leadership has grown.
“I’ve matured a lot,” Gookin said. “I’ve gotten better at picking people up. At being the voice of the team.”
She came into Game 2 in relief of Olivia Haverback, but the bats took care of the Wolves.
Mount Vernon had 14 hits in the second game. Leadoff hitter Sophia Patten hit 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Haverback hit 3-for-4, Gookin had two hits, including a double and two RBIs and Dix also had two hits.
The sweep came after the Mustangs opened the week with a split at Center Point-Urbana on Monday, June 9. In the 6-4 win, Gookin had four hits, including a double and two RBIs. Patten had three hits and Haverback added two hits. Brynlee Bettcher had two RBIs.
In the second game, the Stormin’ Pointers won on a walk off in the bottom of the seventh inning. Patten had two hits and Gookin had three RBIs. Dix and Wischmeyer hit doubles.
The Mustangs picked up an extra game Thursday, June 12, winning 11-0 in five innings at No. 10 (2A) Wilton.
Gookin pitched a two-hitter, striking out 10. Patten had two home runs and four RBIs, Brynlee Bettcher had three hits, including a double, and Rylee Rasmussen had two doubles and two RBIs.
Mount Vernon (12-5) capped the week with the win over Regina at Ash Park. Gookin held the Regals to one hit and one walk over five innings.
Gookin led the offense with two hits. Patten had a double.
