LE GRAND — Jary Hoskey knows players like Morgan Neuroth don’t come along every day.

The star senior for East Marshall softball struck out 12 batters in a two-hit shutout and the Mustangs cruised past Roland-Story, 9-0, at East Marshall High School on Thursday.

“She’s the cog that makes us go,” said Hoskey, East Marshall’s longtime head coach. “She’s been good all year for us, just an all-around good athlete, and we’ll keep riding that horse until the season’s over.”

Neuroth also issued zero walks, with the Norse only putting three runners on all game. A DMACC recruit, Neuroth has thrown 65 1/3 innings this season with a 1.39 earned run average.

“I’m making the ball move, hitting my spots,” Neuroth said. “Us pitchers and catchers have been coming in throughout the winter, working hard, and learning to throw smarter, not harder, to make sure we’re getting the outs we need.”

Neuroth’s career strikeout total sits at 650, closing in on the school’s career strikeout record of 732 set by Hoskey’s daughter, Kodie, a 2020 graduate. It’s a record both father and daughter hope Neuroth can chase down.

“I wouldn’t trade [Neuroth] for the world,” Jary Hoskey said. “Great parents, great kids. She’ll leave her mark here and she’ll be sorely missed.”

Neuroth got lots of run support early — after Vaeda Bryan scored off an error on a ball put in play by Rayne McIlrath, Peyton Grabenbauer slammed a two-run homer that zoomed over the right-center fence for the sophomore’s second homer of the season. When the dust settled, the Mustangs led 4-0 after one inning and were off and running.

“She’s been hitting well for us from that four spot,” Hoskey said. “She moves the ball when we need it and in a split second, she’ll send one over the fence.”

Grabenbauer finished 3-of-4 at the plate with three RBI; Bryan, McIlrath, Makayla Hala and Libby Atcher added one RBI each.

The Mustangs returned to the Class 2A rankings at No. 11 this week — they had previously dropped out after losing two of their first five games in one-run contests against English Valleys and Newton. Earlier this week, a dominant sweep of South Hardin, at the time ranked eighth in 2A, put East Marshall back on the radar.

“We got humbled right away and we’ve worked hard to get back in the rankings,” Neuroth said. “We’re playing good softball.”

East Marshall takes on BGM and Winfield-Mt. Union in a triangular in Brooklyn on Saturday before heading to Grundy Center on Monday for an NICL West doubleheader.

Hoskey credits the Mustangs’ four seniors — Neuroth, McIlrath, Makayla Kerber and Ava Bringmann — with the strong start to the season.

“Our four seniors keep us going,” Hoskey said. “They’re leading us this year and they led us last year since we didn’t have any seniors. So these four girls have really taken over the team, and I love it.”