Eyster, Vinson leading Desoto softball powerhouses
Rylee Eyster and Megan Vinson have always seemed destined to become two of the best high school softball players in Mississippi.
Before being named Mississippi Association of Coaches All-stars there were signs.
Indicators were strong prior to them joining forces on one of the South’s top competitive summer-ball teams. The duo is tight after four years together with the MS Bombers 16U Gold/knight.
Truth be told, there’s an even tighter family bond and it starts with the sharing of one roof at times in Desoto County. Hernando’s Eyster and Desoto Central’s Vinson are stepsisters.
The union became official seven years ago when Rylee’s mother, Jayme, married Megan’s father, Steve. And just how was the athleticism distributed?
“I think I was born a natural athlete,” said Rylee, whose dad, Scott, played quarterback at Delta State. “They’ve raised me to have a good athletic mindset. Of course, they know what to expect. They know how to help me through this process. They’ve helped tremendously.”
Jayme won MHSAA state championships in both volleyball and softball her senior year at Southaven. Steve also wore the Southaven orange and blue (baseball and football), while Megan’s mom, Barbara, played softball at Horn Lake.
“My brother (Michael Vinson) likes to say I get it from him,” Megan said. “I think I get it from all three of them, honestly. They all push me to be the best I can be.”
Season statistics back it up. Eyster was batting .562, with 39 runs from her leadoff spot to go along with two home runs, 16 RBI and 26 stolen bases for Hernando (23-1).
“My speed does a lot for me,” Eyster said. “It gives me all my stolen bases, my triples, my doubles … all that kind of stuff. Hitting home runs is nice too, but I think my speed is what sets me apart.”
Said Hernando coach Nicki Whitten: “Rylee is a triple threat at the plate. She can bunt for a hit, slap or swing for power. I have seen her bunt for a hit and hit the game-winning home run on the same day. She takes pride in knowing her job is to get on base so her teammates can score her.”
As evidence of a .475 batting average, Vinson is far from an easy out offensively, yet it’s her pitching numbers that stand out. She’s 8-2 with a 0.12 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 57.1 innings. On Tuesday, Vinson fanned 18 in a perfect-game victory at Tupelo.
“I really want to break the (Desoto Central) strikeout record, but with my sophomore season getting cut (COVID-19), it’s been hard,” she said. “I’ve found out I’m in third place for the most strikeouts, so I guess I’ll keep seeing where that goes.”
It was March 23 when Hernando hosted the Jaguars in the lone 2021 regular-season meeting between the two clubs.
“When we play against Hernando, it’s a big deal,” said Vinson. “Everybody gets pumped up.”
Eyster was 4-for-4 and so she gained the upper hand in the bottom of the first. Vinson, however, would only pitch three innings. The Tigers scored five runs in the sixth on their way to salvaging a 7-1 win.
“We do have like mutual respect for each other,” Eyster said. “I may have an advantage since I’ve been seeing her since I was so little, but at the end of the day, we’re pretty even.”
If a rematch in the MHSAA playoffs took place, it would carry some significance. Desoto Central is the two-time defending Class 6A state champions.
“Watching two dominate players like Rylee and Meg go head-to-head over the past few years has been fun,” said Whitten.
“I have seen both of them have success when facing one another. When Vinson is spinning the ball well, she is tough for any hitter to take on. You must be very disciplined with pitch-selection at the plate. Your edge when facing pitchers like Meg is to not swing at their go-to pitch.”
According to Vinson, she gets the job done with curveballs and rise balls. That arsenal is on full display when playing with her sister on the Bombers.
“We’re both two great players," said Vinson, who was born nine days before Eyster in August 2005. "I know if I’m pitching, she has my back in the field and offensively, because I know she’s going to get on base. She’s super-fast and she’ll steal bases. I know she has my back 100 percent of the time — and I have hers.”