MOUNT VERNON — Hailey Rudrick provided the thunder before Mother Nature unleashed a deluge.
Rudrick belted three home runs, including two in the first inning, as ninth-seeded Mount Vernon rumbled to a weather delayed and run rule-shortened 20-1 win over No. 32 Columbus Hartley in the Division I sectional final Thursday afternoon.
The Yellow Jackets (20-7) erupted for 13 runs in the first inning. Rudrick launched a three-run homer in her first at bat and added a solo shot later in the frame. She capped her career day with a grand slam in the second, finishing with eight runs batted in.
Keely Pollard and McKenzie Krownapple both hit first-inning home runs. Krownapple was 2-for-2 with three RBIs.
Rylee Myers was 3-for-3 and scored a pair of runs. Carly Kennedy was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Jocelyn Scarbury was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Layla Joyner doubled in her only official plate appearance and scored a run.
Addison Parker picked up the win. She struck out five and walked one while surrendering one hit.
The Yellow Jackets advance to next week’s district tournament and will host No. 10 Tri-Valley at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Tri-Valley cruised to a 22-0 win over Westland.
