Mt. Vernon is 8-2 against Fair Grove since May of 2016 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Mountaineers will look to defend their home field against the Eagles at 5:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Mt. Vernon 3.5, Fair Grove 3.1) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Mt. Vernon is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Missouri's top teams: East Newton, who was ranked ninth at the time (Mt. Vernon was ranked fifth). The Mountaineers blew past the Patriots 10-3 on Tuesday. Considering the Mountaineers have won 12 matchups by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Cheyenne Bieber was a major factor no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out ten over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one hit in four consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-4.
Jocelyn Liss
| 04/15/25 vs East Newton | 3 |
| 04/14/25 @ Pierce City | 2 |
| 04/12/25 vs Versailles | 2 |
| 04/11/25 vs West County | 2 |
| 03/25/25 vs Purdy | 2 |
In other batting news, Jocelyn Liss and Rae Downing did most of the damage at the plate: Liss went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double, while Downing scored three runs while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave Liss a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Maddie Schubert, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Fair Grove entered their tilt with Springfield Catholic on Wednesday with eight consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with nine. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Fighting Irish 5-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Eagles have posted since May 7, 2024.
Aubrie Voorhis spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on eight hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Brooke Daniels, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Shayla Haddock, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Fair Grove's win was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 11-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.1 runs over those games. As for Mt. Vernon, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-5 record this season.
Fair Grove's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Mt. Vernon has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.5 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Fair Grove, though, as they've been averaging only 3.9 strikeouts. Will Mt. Vernon keep running through batters, or will the Eagles buck the trend?
Mt. Vernon took their win against Fair Grove in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 11-3 score. Will the Mountaineers repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
