Vernon is 8-2 against Newton since April of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Vikings will take on the Braves at 4:00 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Vernon is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 15-2 margin over Kittatinny Regional on Wednesday. The Vikings haven't had any issues with the Cougars recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive win against them.
Miranda Ebbighausen
| 04/16/25 @ Kittatinny Regional | 12 |
| 04/14/25 @ North Warren Regional | 7 |
| 04/10/25 vs High Point | 8 |
| 04/09/25 @ Mount Olive | 5 |
| 04/08/25 vs Lenape Valley | 7 |
| 04/03/25 @ Hackettstown | 16 |
Miranda Ebbighausen spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on seven hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Vernon got a massive performance out of Riley Lazier, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-4. Lazier also put up a double, which was her first of the season. Abby Mundhenk was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base.
Vernon was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .543. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Newton got themselves on the board against Hopatcong on Monday, but Hopatcong never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Chiefs with a sharp 10-0 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Braves.
Not much got past Jaida Long, who gave up just two hits and racked up 11 Ks to keep Hopatcong off the board.
At the plate, Isabella Rubino was a standout: she scored a run while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Emma Trout, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Newton's record is now 4-2. As for Vernon, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Vernon hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .418. However, it's not like Newton struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Vernon skirted past Newton 8-7 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
