Mount Vernon manages split with Solon

SOLON — The Wamac Conference East Division race is extended one more day.

Maybe two.

Mount Vernon rallied from a 7-2 deficit with nine consecutive runs and salvaged the second game of a divisional doubleheader with Class 3A 10th-ranked Solon, 11-8, Wednesday night at the Solon Softball Complex.

'We just had the confidence to come back. We knew we could hit the ball and make plays,' said Bailey Sullivan, who hit a first-inning home run in both games.

The Spartans won the first game, 5-4.

With the split, the teams remain knotted in the loss column in the East Division. Solon (23-6, 10-3) still has the upper hand and concludes its league slate Thursday at home against Anamosa.

Mount Vernon (17-17, 8-3) finishes a suspended game with Dyersville Beckman at 6 p.m. Thursday and plays one game with Western Dubuque at 8, all at home. The Mustangs play the second game with Western Dubuque at noon Friday.

Catch all that?

Skylar Stookey's RBI single in the fifth inning broke a 4-4 tie in the opener, then her grand slam put the Spartans in front, 7-2 in the second inning of Game 2.

But Mount Vernon rallied immediately.

Sullivan — who finished the night with six RBIs, hit a two-run double to highlight a four-run third inning as the Mustangs got back within 7-6.

Mount Vernon scored three runs in the sixth inning — on back-to-back-to back hits by Amanda Roe, Sammy Moss and Kristen Elliott — to take a 9-7 lead, then Lauren Ryan hit a two-run home run for some insurance in the top of the seventh.

Erin White succeeded her husband Jim as head coach this season, and this was projected by many as a rebuilding season. But the emergence of several eighth-graders have kept the Spartans clicking; they won 12 straight games before Mount Vernon ended the streak Wednesday. 

SOLON 5-8, MOUNT VERNON 4-11

At Solon

Game 1

Mount Vernon 300 010 0 — 4 8 1

Solon 001 310 x — 5 9 2

Amanda Roe and Sammy Moss. Kayla West, Carly Ellison (2) and Skylar Stookey. W — Ellison (2-0). L — Roe (9-10). HR — MV: Bailey Sullivan (3).

Game 2

Mount Vernon 204 003 2 — 11 9 1

Solon 250 000 1 — 8 11 2

Summer Brand, Amanda Roe (4) and Mandy Morrical. Peyton Sands, Carly Ellison (3), Jenna Sprague (6) and Skylar Stookey. W — Roe (10-10). L — Ellison (2-1). HR — MV: Bailey Sullivan (4), Lauren Ryan (1); SOL: Skylar Stookey (8).

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