Independence extended their losing streak to three on Thursday, dropping them down to 7-9. They lost 11-0 to the Mt. Pleasant Cardinals. While getting shut out isn't ideal, the 76ers haven't been shut out since back in March.
As for Mt. Pleasant, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 10-8 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games.
For Mt. Pleasant's part, Michael Blanco made a splash no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out eight over four innings pitched. Blanco has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. He has become a key player for Mt. Pleasant: the team is 4-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 6-7 otherwise.
In other batting news, Victor Cantabrana was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Vincent Salcido also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Looking ahead, Independence will face off against Overfelt at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The Overfelt Royals will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last. As for Mt. Pleasant, they will square off against Del Mar at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Cardinals' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Dons have averaged an impressive 7.3 runs per game this season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
