South is 2-8 against Independence since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Bulldogs will look to defend their home field against the 76ers at 5:30 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
South took a loss when they played away from home last Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They blew past Marion-Franklin 17-7. Considering the Bulldogs' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
The team relied heavily on Rashawn Buggs, Jr., who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. The team also got some help courtesy of Justin Loucks, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last game, Independence made sure to put some runs up on the board against West on Monday. The 76ers put the hurt on the Cowboys with a sharp 16-2 victory. The 76ers haven't had any issues with the Cowboys recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Independence let Derek Pigott and Richard Kearney run wild. Pigott scored four runs and stole six bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances, while Kearney scored three runs and stole six bases while going 2-for-3. Those six stolen bases gave Kearney a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Deven Davis Jr, who scored two runs and stole five bases while going 2-for-5.
Independence's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-2. As for South, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. South has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Independence struggles in that department as they've been averaging 12.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
South couldn't quite finish off Independence in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 and fell 9-7. Will the Bulldogs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
