Baseball Game Preview: Independence Wildcats vs. Bruce Trojans

For the second straight game, Independence will face off against Bruce. The Wildcats will be playing at home against the Trojans at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Independence is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.6 runs per game this season.

Last Tuesday, Independence was able to grind out a solid victory over Bruce, taking the game 6-1.

Dallas Stepp spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one walk in nine consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Kaleb Kitchen and Gavin Pierce did most of the damage at the plate: Kitchen scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Pierce went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double. That's the most hits Kitchen has posted since back in March.

Independence has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 11 of their last 12 matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-8 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.6 runs over those games. As for Bruce, their loss dropped their record down to 6-13.

Independence's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Wildcats have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.5 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Bruce, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Independence continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.