HANOVER ― In a chess match between two of the top softball teams and pitchers in the Central District and probably the state, Licking Valley’s Emory Whisner delivered checkmate on her home turf.
The Panthers’ sophomore and Mount Vernon junior Jocelyn Scarbury matched two-run homers, and zeros in the pitching circle before Whisner’s walk-off blast in the bottom of the eighth inning gave Valley an exciting 3-2 victory April 14 in an early Licking County League-Buckeye Division showdown.
“Earlier in the game, I was sitting inside but I was expecting outside, and that’s what she threw me,” Whisner said after she lined one over the right-field fence for her sixth homer of the spring. “I felt so confident in our hitting, that we would get it done somehow.”
Added junior third baseman Abby Kochur: “I’m mostly confident in all of our hitters, but was especially confident knowing she can do that.”
The game was what you would expect with first place in the division on the line. The Panthers (9-0, 5-0), ranked second in the state in Division IV, now own first place over the Yellow Jackets (7-3, 4-1) and Licking Heights (9-3, 4-1), which Valley hosts on April 16. Mount Vernon, the defending Division II state runner-up and ranked fourth statewide, plays a rematch with the Panthers on its home field April 24.
Whisner went with the outside pitch for a two-run homer to left center in the first inning, scoring D’Neya Dennis, who led off with a single. It nearly held up, but Scarbury battled Whisner through a 3-2 count and hit a towering two-out, two-run homer to center in the sixth, scoring Lexi Ringwalt, who had singled off the fence.
Scarbury lost despite throwing a six-hitter with 12 strikeouts and no walks with her of array of off speed mixed in with hard stuff, while Whisner was nearly as good, allowing five hits, striking out seven, walking one and hitting a batter. Scarbury threw 115 pitches, 82 for strikes, while Whisner’s pitch count was at 111 with 75 for strikes.
“Scarbury is just a competitor, like Emory, and gets after it, in the circle and at the plate, just like Whisner does,” coach Chad Dennis said. “It’s super impressive. I told our players before the game, that we would likely face some adversity, and they stayed locked in and responded after Scarbury’s home run.”
Valley threatened again in the third, Dennis and Whisner reaching on one-out singles, but Scarbury got Alexa Gilliam to fly out and struck out Chloe Cooperrider. In the sixth, Gilliam singled and went to second on a passed ball, but Scarbury fanned Tori Baughman and Hailey Mueller, ending the threat.
Catcher Hailey Rudrick had two hits for the Yellow Jackets, including one in the fourth, and advanced to third before Baughman gloved Harley Styndl’s hard shot and stepped on first for the final out.
The Panthers played errorless softball, while Mount Vernon committed just one miscue. Kochur was especially impressive at third base, handling three chances and catching a line drive.
“I just stay calm. It can be stressful, especially with the hops you get on the turf,” Kochur said. “But even if it goes off my glove, I know (shortstop) D’Neya is going to get to it behind me, and that my teammates have my back. I trust in my teammates.”
Said coach Dennis: “We’re rock solid with Abby over there. We’re very confident with her at third. Our defense has played well all year, even though with Emory pitching, they don’t always get a lot of chances.”
After last year’s regional runner-up finish, Valley is still a young team with just one senior. But the undefeated start is the product of preparation. Whisner’s home run production is not by accident.
“Tanner Vogelmeier worked with us all the way through the preseason, and everyone has gotten stronger,” she said.
Added Kochur: “We have hard practices, and this goes to show the hard work we put in during the off season. We were even out here working in September.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Whisner, Licking Valley walk off Mount Vernon in elite LCL showdown
Reporting by Dave Weidig, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
