Cedar Rapids Kennedy pitcher Jayme Scheck is as good as new, again

CEDAR RAPIDS — From the time she awoke from a second hip surgery, Jayme Scheck had little doubt that she would return to pitch this summer.

After all, she had a road map on recovery and rehabilitation.

“I feel pretty much back to normal,” Scheck said after scattering five hits and striking out six in Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s 3-1 Mississippi Valley Conference softball victory over Iowa City Liberty on Friday at Kennedy High School.

And the way Scheck throws, normal is good. Very good.

A senior who has been pitching for Kennedy for five seasons, Scheck has been dealing with hip issues throughout her young life.

“I was born with hip dysplasia,” said Scheck, who had her first surgery to repair her right labrum in January 2020, another to her left last October.

Scheck has fashioned a 12-2 mark in her final campaign, striking out 116 batters and walking 10 in 91 2/3 innings. She owns a 1.22 ERA.

After splitting pitching duties with now-graduated Kaylin Kinney throughout her first four seasons, Scheck is the undisputed ace for the Class 5A eighth-ranked Cougars (21-6, 17-4 MVC) this summer.

“It’s a little more challenging,” she said. “But it’s fun to have the girls and help out the young ones.”

Scheck’s first surgery came before her junior season. The timing of the second was more favorable.

“She had a couple of more months to work with,” Kennedy Coach Maddison LeClere said. “But these were two major surgeries, so you just never know.

“We keep an eye on her, because she still has four years of pitching at a higher level than this.”

Scheck has signed with Drake University.

Friday’s game — originally scheduled as a doubleheader, but cut short by rain to a six-inning single contest — was a rematch of last year’s 5A regional final (won by Kennedy, 1-0 in 11 innings) and a potential precursor to another regional final July 13.

Kennedy is ranked eighth in 5A; Liberty is No. 11.

The Cougars scored a pair of unearned runs, thanks to three Liberty errors and an RBI double by Topanga Beauregard, in the bottom of the first, then added a tally when Alexis Wheatley doubled home Sidney Osborn in the fourth.

As the rain began to intensity, Liberty (18-11, 15-6) scored in the sixth on Kennedy Daugherty’s RBI single, then the game was called moments later, when the shower turned into a deluge. It is unknown whether Game 2 will be rescheduled.

Liberty ace pitcher Kara Maiers was in a boot, recovering from a sprained left ankle. She said she hopes to be back in time for the postseason.

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY 3, IOWA CITY LIBERTY 1 (6, rain)

At C.R. Kennedy

Iowa City Liberty 000 001 — 1 5 3

C.R. Kennedy 200 10x — 3 5 0

Eva Stewart and Olivia Davenport. Jayme Scheck and Addy Alber. W — Scheck (12-2). L — Stewart (0-1).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com