Mount Ayr withstands Central Decatur rally
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Four early Mount Ayr runs held up despite a comeback attempt by Central Decatur in the two teams’ POI and 2024 regular season finale on July 1.
The Cardinals traveled to Mount Ayr for the game and fell 7-6 after a furious rally fell short. The Cardinal’s record slipped to 6-16 overall while Mount Ayr improved to 8-11. The game was originally scheduled for May 24, but weather forced the game to be rescheduled to last week.
The Raiderettes now enter the postseason where they will face a familiar foe, Lenox. The two teams played on June 11 in Mount Ayr with the Raiderettes winning 3-2, and also back on May 28 with the Raiderettes winning 8-6. The game was played on Monday, July 8 in Mount Ayr in the first round of the Class 1A Region 3 tournament. The winner will advance and play at top-ranked Martensdale-St. Mary’s on Wednesday, July 10 in a Region 3 quarterfinal at 7:00 p.m. in Martensdale. The Region 3 semifinals are two nights later on Friday, July 12 back at Martensdale-St. Mary’s against one of Orient-Macksburg, Bedford, or Stanton.
Mount Ayr scored the first runs of the game in the bottom of the first inning with four runs to take a 4-0 lead. Mount Ayr extended their lead to 5-0 with a run in the second inning.
Central Decatur scored their first runs in the top of the third to cut the lead to 5-2. Trailing 6-2, the
Keely Wasteney winds up for a pitch during the Raiderettes’ victory over Central Decatur. PHOTO BY DARLA SOBOTKA.
Cardinals would tie the game at 6-6 with a four-run top of the fifth.
Mount Ayr would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth with a single run to lead 7-6.
Kensie Barnes got the win after working three innings. She struck out four and gave up one run on one hit. Keely Wasteney also pitched in the game and went four innings with three strikeouts, and three walks, and gave up five runs on six hits.
Mount Ayr had eight hits in the game led by three players with multi-hit games. Anna Greenland and Kynlee Still each were 2-for-3 in the game. Kensie Barnes was 2-for-2. Other hits were by Tatum Friedrich and MaKel Jones. Friedrich had a team-high 3 RBI’s while Barnes, Aubree Clark, and Nickle each had one RBI. Keely Wasteney reached base via a pair of walks while Jones and Breya Nickle each reached with one walk.
Kaycee Boyce took the loss after six innings of work. She struck out six, walked six, and gave up seven runs on seven hits. She faced 27 batters. Central Decatur had eight hits in the game with a pair of players collecting multi-hit games. Cortlynn Cook was 3-for-4 and 2 RBI’s, and Soiyer Smith was 2-for-4 to lead the Cardinals. Other hits came from Breece Cornett, Kaycee Boyce, and Piper Helton. Cornett also had two RBI’s. Cornett, Helton, and Milli Waugh all reached base via walks while Morgan Buckingham and Cornett each reached base after being hit by pitches.
