Wickliffe will head out on the road to square off against Independence at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Wickliffe is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
On Thursday, Wickliffe came up short against Rootstown and fell 8-4. The Blue Devils have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Cole Vanatta
| 05/07/26 @ Rootstown | 2 |
| 04/27/26 @ Kirtland | 2 |
| 03/28/26 @ John Hay | 2 |
| 05/04/26 vs Rootstown | 1 |
| 04/28/26 vs Kirtland | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
Cole Vanatta was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Wickliffe is 2-1 when Vanatta posts two or more stolen bases, but 4-9 otherwise. Frankie Bucar was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Independence had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it seven on Monday. They came out on top against the Pioneers by a score of 10-6.
Independence also got a great performance from Ryan Suhy as he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts Suhy has posted since back in April.
At the plate, Owen Jenks and Anderson Jolliffe did most of the damage at the plate: Jenks got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI, while Jolliffe went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most hits Jolliffe has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Vinny Carriero, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Independence hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least two batters in three consecutive games.
Independence's victory bumped their record up to 14-3. As for Wickliffe, their loss dropped their record down to 6-10.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Wickliffe has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. However, it's not like Independence struggles in that department as they've averaged .469. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Wickliffe came up short against Independence in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 4-0. Can Wickliffe avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
