Softball Game Preview: Hoover Huskies vs. Independence Patriots

Huskies

Runs

04/12/25 @ Wahama	1
04/11/25 @ Sissonville	8
04/09/25 vs Independence	4
04/04/25 vs South Charleston	8
04/02/25 @ Nicholas County	12
+ 9 more games

Hoover is a perfect 6-0 against Independence since April of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Huskies will challenge the Patriots at 6:00 p.m. Hoover is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.

Hoover is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of West Virginia's top teams: Wahama, who was ranked 22nd at the time (Hoover was ranked 13th). The Huskies fell just short of the White Falcons by a score of 2-1 on Saturday. The Huskies' defeat signaled the end of their seven-game winning streak.

Meanwhile, while Independence put up plenty of runs on Thursday, the same can't be said for Princeton. The Patriots were the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over the Tigers. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 matchups by seven runs or more this season.

Independence got a massive performance out of Kassidy Bradbury, who went 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Bradbury is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Emma Lilly, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI.

Independence always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .654. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.

Hoover's loss dropped their record down to 11-3. As for Independence, their win bumped their record up to 14-5.

Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Hoover hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .334. However, it's not like Independence struggles in that department as they've averaged .397. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Hoover beat Independence 4-0 in their previous meeting last Wednesday. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Huskies since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.