Softball Game Preview: Hoover Huskies vs. Independence Patriots

For the second straight game, Hoover will face off against Independence. The Huskies will look to defend their home field on Thursday against the Patriots at 7:00 p.m. The last three games Hoover has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

Hoover is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of West Virginia's top teams: Independence, who was ranked 18th at the time (Hoover was ranked 12th). The Huskies fell just short of the Patriots by a score of 6-5 on Wednesday.

For Independence's part, Kassidy Bradbury was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That's the most hits Bradbury has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Emma Lilly, who went 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.

Independence has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 24-10 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.4 runs on average over those games. As for Hoover, their loss was their third straight on the road, which dropped their record down to 22-7.