Mt. Carmel is 1-6 against Newton since March of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. Mt. Carmel will host Newton at 4:30 p.m. Mt. Carmel will come into the matchup with an undefeated record on the line.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between Mt. Carmel and Fairfield, and Mt. Carmel kept the tradition alive. Mt. Carmel walked away with an 8-3 win over Fairfield last Saturday.
Levi Banks made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed seven innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. That's the fewest earned runs he has allowed since back in May of 2024. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, Mt. Carmel let Santiago Guanipa and Asher Coston run wild. Guanipa scored two runs while going 4-for-4, while Coston scored a run while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits Coston has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of River Deisher, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Mt. Carmel kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Newton suffered their closest defeat since May 6, 2024 on Saturday. They fell just short of Pana by a score of 4-2.
Mt. Carmel pushed their record up to 4-0 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Newton, their loss dropped their record down to 4-4.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Mt. Carmel has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .507. However, it's not like Newton struggles in that department as they've averaged .459. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mt. Carmel skirted past Newton 3-1 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will Mt. Carmel repeat their success, or does Newton has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
