Wickliffe will challenge Independence at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Wickliffe sitting on three straight victories and Independence on seven.
Wickliffe took a six-run defeat the last time they faced off against Lake Catholic, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Blue Devils skirted past the Cougars 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Blue Devils have posted since April 3rd.
| 05/04/26 vs Lake Catholic | 17 |
| 04/27/26 vs Kirtland | 9 |
| 04/24/26 @ Madison | 11 |
| 04/22/26 vs Rootstown | 11 |
| 04/21/26 @ Berkshire | 11 |
| + 8 more games |
Leigha Blazetic spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on two hits and racked up 17 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Madelyne Prosuch was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Ava McGarry also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Independence gave up the first runs on Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They had just enough and edged out Cuyahoga Heights 8-7.
Lila Manfredonia was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and five unearned) runs off four hits. Manfredonia was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rabecca Gibson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Julia Chait, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs.
Independence hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least three batters in six consecutive games.
The victory got Wickliffe back to even at 7-7. As for Independence, their win bumped their record up to 9-3.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Wickliffe hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .343. However, it's not like Independence struggles in that department as they've averaged .394. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Wickliffe's way against Independence when the teams last played back in April of 2023, as Wickliffe made off with a 9-2 victory. Does Wickliffe have another victory up their sleeve, or will Independence turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
