Mt. Carmel is 2-7 against Mt. Vernon since May of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Golden Aces will be playing in front of their home fans against the Wildcats at 5:00 p.m. Mt. Carmel is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
Mt. Carmel took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They blew past Richland County 13-3. The high-scoring effort was just what the Golden Aces needed considering they were shut out in their previous contest.
Will Reed
| 05/01/25 vs Richland County | 3 |
| 04/09/25 vs Evansville Christian | 2 |
| 03/22/25 vs Fairfield | 2 |
| 03/21/25 @ Lawrenceville | 2 |
| 03/18/25 vs Oblong/Hutsonville/Palestine | 2 |
Brendan Bowser and Will Reed were major factors while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Bowser struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Reed pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Mt. Carmel is 4-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 6-7 otherwise. At bat, Bowser went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double, while Reed went 3-for-4 with three RBI and one double. Those three hits gave Reed a new career-high.
In other batting news, Ryder Sloss was a standout: he went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Santiago Guanipa was another key player, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Mt. Carmel kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are 4-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Mt. Vernon was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their 11th straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 2-1 heartbreaker at the hands of Perry Central.
Luke Weintraut spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on six hits and racked up ten Ks.
Mt. Carmel's win bumped their record up to 10-8. As for Mt. Vernon, their loss dropped their record down to 1-11.
Mt. Vernon's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Mt. Carmel has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .434. It's a different story for Mt. Vernon, though, as they've only averaged .361. Will they be able to contain Mt. Carmel's hitters?
Everything went Mt. Carmel's way against Mt. Vernon in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Mt. Carmel made off with an 11-3 victory. Will the Golden Aces repeat their success, or do the Wildcats have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
