The Blackman Blaze will face off against the Independence Eagles at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Blackman will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
Blackman had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the nine-run drubbing they dealt Covington on Saturday. The Blaze put the hurt on the Chargers with a sharp 11-2 victory. Considering the Blaze have won 14 matchups by more than five runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Blackman got a big performance out of Danyela Ptaszek, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run. That's the most RBI Ptaszek has posted since back in April of 2025. The team also got some help courtesy of Kylie Breakey, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI and one double.
Blackman always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .625. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Covington only posted an OBP of .381.
Independence had taken Summit down for two straight games at home, but that winning streak came to an end on Thursday. The Eagles fell just short of the Spartans by a score of 7-5. The Eagles have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Stella Weaver was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. Piper Johnson was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs.
Independence's loss dropped their record down to 17-12. As for Blackman, their win bumped their record up to 17-9.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Blackman has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .462. However, it's not like Independence struggles in that department as they've averaged .432. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Blackman skirted past Independence 4-3 in their previous matchup back in April of 2017. Will the Blaze repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
