Baseball Recap: Independence Comes Up Short

Independence fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Sierra Linda on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Bulldogs by a score of 14-13. The Patriots' loss continues a trend for the squad, making it seven in a row.

Tyler Slivnik and Noel Calderon did some serious damage despite the final result: Slivnik went 4-for-5 with four RBI, two doubles, and one stolen base, while Calderon got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs. Those doubles were Slivnik's first of the season. Sebastian Sandoval was another key player, going 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.

Independence's defeat dropped their record down to 3-12-1. As for Sierra Linda, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-8 record this season.

Independence is taking a road trip to take on Coconino at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. As for Sierra Linda, they will face off against Metro Tech at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. The timing is sure in the Bulldogs' favor as the team sits on four straight wins at home while the Knights have been banged up by four consecutive losses on the road.