The Independence Falcons are taking a road trip to take on the Taft Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Independence has five straight wins, Taft has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Independence's pitching crew heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 13-0 margin over Legacy Christian Academy. That 13 run margin sets a new team best for the Falcons this season.
Jace Gillenwater made a big impact no matter where he played. He kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out eight over four innings pitched. Gillenwater was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other pitching news, Isaac Lopez looked comfortable as he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one hit any time he's pitched this season.
Back at the plate, Independence let Aldo Salcedo and Kaiden Godfrey run wild. Salcedo scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances, while Godfrey scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Brandon Gutierrez, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Independence always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .594. The last time their OBP was this high was back in February of 2024.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Taft faced off against Washington Union on Friday. Taft lost 8-1 to Washington Union.
Ben Nuncio put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over four innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March of 2024. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run. He also brought in an RBI, marking his first of the season.
Independence's victory was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 9 runs. As for Taft, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-4.
Independence's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's contest. Independence has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Taft, though, as they've been averaging only 0.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Independence continue to outrun the ball?
Independence skirted past Taft 2-1 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Does Independence have another victory up their sleeve, or will Taft turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
