MOUNT VERNON — The Yellow Jackets didn’t feel like sharing.
Kayden Packard scattered eight hits over seven innings as Mount Vernon won an outright Ohio Cardinal Conference championship with a 2-1 win over New Philadelphia on Wednesday.
The Jackets (19-3, 12-2) swept the home-and-home series from the Quakers (13-6, 10-4) to claim their first OCC title since 2017.
Before Wednesday’s showdown, Mount Vernon coach Nathan Hunt showed the Yellow Jackets a sign with a simple theme: Be Selfish.
“Make sure we don’t share the title,” Packard said of the pregame messaging. “We trusted ourselves to come out and do the basics.”
Packard struck out four and did not walk a batter in the complete-game victory. He gave up an unearned run in the sixth.
Mount Vernon struck in the home half of the third when Konner Daughriety drew a two-out walk on a full count and promptly stole second. Ezra Kurek followed with an RBI-single to center for a 1-0 lead.
The Yellow Jackets added a vital insurance run in the fourth. Jonny Askew led off with a single and moved to second on Isaiah Columber’s single. Both runners advanced on Caden Thiebert’s sacrifice bunt and Askew scored on Jagger Dohn’s one-out sacrifice fly.
The Quakers made things interesting with an unearned run in the top of the sixth. Mason Caterina laced a two-out single and came around to score when Owen Courtney’s single was misplayed in the Mount Vernon outfield.
Caterina led New Philadelphia with a pair of singles in three at bats. Courtney, Braylon McBride, Noah Bollon, Gaven Blake, Carson Long and Caleb Crowthers all had a hit for the Quakers.
Daughriety, Kurek, Packard, Askew and Columber all had hits for Mount Vernon.
Courtney was the hard-luck loser. He allowed five hits in 5.2 innings of work while striking out five and walking three.
Mount Vernon has won 16 straight since losing three straight early in the season. That stretch included back-to-back OCC losses to Ashland in early April.
“It was a catalyst,” Hunt said of the early skid.
The Yellow Jackets will conclude the regular season Saturday at Heath. Mount Vernon opens sectional play at home on May 15 against either Logan or Chillicothe.
“It’s the greatest time to get hot,” Hunt said.