The O'Fallon Panthers will take on the Mt. Vernon Rams at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
O'Fallon lost 18-11 to Mascoutah on Monday.
Ella Klino made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Bella Schmitt, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Mt. Vernon entered their tilt with Effingham on Tuesday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They came out on top against the Hearts by a score of 10-6.
Taylor DeSmith was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off seven hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Mt. Vernon let Arwin Wilkey and Paige Watson run wild. Wilkey went 2-for-4 with three runs, while Watson went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double. That's the most runs Wilkey has posted since back in April. Lexi Howard was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run.
Mt. Vernon kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Mt. Vernon's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-10. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for O'Fallon, their loss dropped their record down to 12-16.
O'Fallon beat Mt. Vernon 10-6 in their previous matchup back in May of 2023. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Rams have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
