Mount Vernon earns split with Solon

SOLON — It had been 14 games since the Solon Spartans had been beaten, 32 games since they had been shut out.

Amanda Roe took care of both streaks.

Roe scattered five hits and worked out of numerous jams, and Mount Vernon took down defending Class 3A state champion Solon, 5-0, in the second game of a Wamac Conference East Division softball double-header Wednesday night at the Solon Softball Complex.

'I just came out wanting to pitch,' said Roe, a freshman. 'I had a positive attitude, and I threw a lot of drop balls.'

This is the fifth year for Robin Brand at Mount Vernon (2-3 overall, 1-1 Wamac East) as head coach, and the first win over the Spartans in her tenure.

'Obviously, it feels good, but it's more about the process,' she said. 'Amanda pitched right where we needed her to, and we played a lot more relaxed in the second game.'

Solon (1-1, 1-1) won the opener, 7-1, behind three RBIs by Skyler Stookey. The Spartans scored twice in the third inning, once in the fourth, then broke it open with four in the sixth.

But Mount Vernon tallied first in the nightcap on Sammy Moss' RBI single in the top of the first, and chipped away with single tallies in the third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Four different Mustangs drove in a run in Game 2.

'We just kept it up the whole game,' Roe said. 'We didn't let down.'

Five times in the second game, the Spartans got the leadoff batter on base. Each time, Roe was up to the challenge.

The last pitcher to blank Solon? Benton Community's Amber Fiser — a University of Minnesota signee — on June 10, 2015.

Yes, the Spartans graduated ace pitcher Emily Ira. But the majority of the bats returned, so this was no small feat.

McKenna Miller blanked the Mustangs for the first six innings of the opener. Sydney Lawson, a University of Wisconsin recruit, hit an inside-the-park home run.

SOLON 7-0, MOUNT VERNON 1-5

At Solon

Game 1

Mount Vernon 000 000 1 — 1 6 4

Solon 002 104 x — 7 8 1

Lily Dahlstrom and Annie See. McKenna Miller and Monika Bevans. W — Miller (1-0). L — Dahlstrom (0-2). HR — S: Sydney Lawson (1).

Game 2

Mount Vernon 101 011 1 — 5 6 3

Solon 000 000 0 — 0 5 3

Amanda Roe and Sammy Moss. Skylar Sadler and Monika Bevans. W — Roe (1-1). L — Sadler (0-1).

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com