MOUNT VERNON — A rocky first inning proved fatal for the Yellow Jackets.
Olentangy Liberty scored three runs in the top of the first and held on for a 5-3 win at Mount Vernon in a Division I district semifinal game Tuesday afternoon.
The 13th-seeded Patriots (18-11) managed just one hit in the inning, a run-scoring single by McCafrey Tatum. Liberty took advantage of two walks, a hit batter and a Mount Vernon error to grab the quick 3-0 advantage.
The Patriots extended the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth before fifth-seeded Mount Vernon (20-5) came to life in the home half of the inning. Konner Daughriety led off with a single to right and came all the way around to score when Kayden Packard’s infield ground ball was misplayed for an error. Jonny Askew followed with a single and Packard scored on an error on the play to make it 4-2.
Liberty added a run in the top of the sixth for a 5-2 lead. The Yellow Jackets scored their final run in the bottom of the seventh when Hayden Higgins drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
An Ashland University recruit, Daughriety had two of Mount Vernon’s four hits and scored a run. Askew and Packard each had a single.
Daughriety took the loss, just his second of the season. He allowed four runs on four hits while striking out eight and walking four in five innings of work.
“If I were to run this back again, I’d throw him out there again. He’s been a part of every big win that we’ve (had) in the past four years,” Mount Vernon coach Nate Hunt said of Daughriety, the two-time Ohio Cardinal Conference Player of the Year. “This is my fifth year coaching. He’s been in the lineup for four years. I don’t even know what it’s like to run the lineup without him, without Jonny.
“Those guys have been in the lineup for the past four years. I don’t even know what it’s going to be like without them. I have to figure it out, but it’s going to be hard.”
Liberty will play 12th-seeded Dublin Scioto for a district title at 5 p.m. Thursday at Grove City. Scioto upset No. 4 Pickerington Central 12-5 on Tuesday.
