Independence barely beat Walnut Ridge the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The 76ers put the hurt on the Scots with a sharp 13-2 win on Wednesday. Considering the 76ers' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Romeo Morales made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Morales was also solid in the batter's box, earning one run and three stolen bases.
Derek Pigott
| 05/06/26 @ Walnut Ridge | 6 |
| 04/20/26 vs Walnut Ridge | 2 |
| 04/13/26 @ Eastmoor Academy | 2 |
| 04/27/26 vs South | 1 |
| 04/01/26 @ South | 1 |
In other batting news, Independence got a massive performance out of Derek Pigott, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with six stolen bases and two runs. The 76ers are undefeated when Pigott posts two or more stolen bases, but 6-7 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Richard Kearney, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three doubles, and two RBI.
Independence was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .381. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Walnut Ridge only posted a batting average of .083.
Independence's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-7. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Walnut Ridge, they have been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last seven games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 2-8-1 record this season.
We've got plenty of inter-conference action coming up soon. Independence will square off against rival Marion-Franklin at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Walnut Ridge is set to challenge their familiar foe South at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
