Stoughton is 0-4 against Mount Horeb since April of 2022 but things could change on Thursday. Stoughton will head out on the road to take on Mount Horeb at 5:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Stoughton made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Baraboo, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Vikings were the clear victors by a 7-0 margin over the Thunderbirds on Tuesday. The win was some much needed relief for the Vikings as it spelled an end to their five-game losing streak.
Madelyn Barsness
| 04/15/25 vs Baraboo | 14 |
| 04/14/25 @ DeForest | 6 |
| 04/12/25 vs Monroe | 6 |
| 04/08/25 vs Portage | 23 |
Madelyn Barsness made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 14 over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Chloe Buell was a standout: she scored two runs while going 2-for-3. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Emily Matheny, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Mount Horeb entered their tilt with Reedsburg on Tuesday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They came out on top against the Beavers by a score of 12-7. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Vikings considering their two-run performance the contest before.
Like Stoughton, Mount Horeb also got a great game from a two-way player: Jozie Clifton. On the mound, she tossed four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. Clifton was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Mount Horeb got a massive performance out of Ruby Dahlk, who scored a run and stole three bases while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances. Lauren Mester was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-3.
Mount Horeb always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .541. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Reedsburg only posted an OBP of .355.
Mount Horeb's victory was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-3. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.4 runs over those games. As for Stoughton, their victory was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 4-8.
Mount Horeb's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Stoughton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Mount Horeb, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.4 strikeouts. Will Stoughton keep running through batters, or will Mount Horeb buck the trend?
Stoughton couldn't quite finish off Mount Horeb when the teams last played back in May of 2024 and fell 4-2. Can Stoughton avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
