Baseball Game Preview: Monett Cubs vs. East Newton Patriots

Monett has gone 8-2 against East Newton recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Cubs will host the Patriots at 4:30 p.m. East Newton took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Monett, who comes in off a win.

Monett hadn't beaten McDonald County on the road since April 9, 2019 but that history sure didn't bother them on Tuesday. The Cubs walked away with a 6-3 win over the Mustangs.

Aidan Clapper

Base on Balls Against

04/08/25 @ McDonald County	1
03/27/25 @ Republic	2
03/22/25 vs Reeds Spring	0

Aidan Clapper was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run. That home run marked the first that he launched this season.

Clapper wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Miles Young, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.

Meanwhile, East Newton suffered their closest defeat since April 13, 2024 on Tuesday. They fell just short of Lamar by a score of 3-1. The loss continues a trend for the Patriots in their meetings with the Tigers: they've now lost six in a row.

East Newton now has a losing record of 4-5-1. As for Monett, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.

Monett beat East Newton 4-0 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Cubs repeat their success, or do the Patriots have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.