The Independence Patriots will square off against the Providence Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Independence is coming into the contest hot, having won their last ten games.
Independence's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. Everything went their way against Garinger as they made off with a 16-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Patriots, who have now won 11 games by ten runs or more so far this season.
Michaela Williams made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two hits in eight consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, Sydnee Platt was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Natalie Johnson, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Independence was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .522. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .304 or higher in nine consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Providence faced Marvin Ridge in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Panthers came up short against the Mavericks, falling 15-7. The Panthers haven't had much luck with the Mavericks recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Camryn O'Connor and Pheonix Scott stepped up to the plate in a big way. O'Connor went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI, while Scott scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Emerson McAllister was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Independence pushed their record up to 15-2 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.5 runs on average over those games. As for Providence, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-3.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Independence hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .397. However, it's not like Providence struggles in that department as they've averaged .409. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Independence suffered a grim 10-1 defeat to Providence in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Patriots have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
