The Mulberry Grove Aces will face off against the Staunton Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Wednesday, Mulberry Grove made easy work of Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City and carried off an 11-1 victory. The Aces haven't had any issues with the Bobcats recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.
Lily Johnson made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out 11 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
| 04/23/25 vs Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City | 3 |
| 04/16/25 vs Calhoun | 1 |
| 04/15/25 vs Lincolnwood | 1 |
| 04/14/25 @ Vandalia | 1 |
| 04/08/25 @ Highland | 1 |
| + 6 more games |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Taylor Stone, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Jenni Mezo was another key player, going 2-for-3 with four stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
Staunton came out on top against East Alton-Wood River on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run sixth inning. The Bulldogs blew past the Oilers 9-2. With that victory, the Bulldogs brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Gianna Bianco spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits.
At the plate, Lilly Bandy and Grace Burris did most of the damage at the plate: Bandy went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI, while Burris went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Caitlyn Matesa, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
The win made it two in a row for Staunton and bumps their season record up to 11-2. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.0 runs over those games. As for Mulberry Grove, their win bumped their record up to 7-4.
Mulberry Grove might still be hurting after the 6-0 loss they got from Staunton in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Aces avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
