Independence hasn't had much luck against Charlotte Catholic recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Independence Patriots will be playing in front of their home fans against the Charlotte Catholic Cougars at 6:00 p.m. Independence has given up an average of 11.8 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
Independence's last matchup with Pine Lake Prep could've gone either way, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the pair's match on Wednesday. Independence came up short against Pine Lake Prep, falling 22-12. Even though they lost, the Patriots' still made a splash at the plate and bumped their average scoring up to 7 runs per game (they're now ranked -1th in scoring overall).
Alfred Seaman made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and got on base in three of his five plate appearances with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. That triple marked the first that he hit this season. Chipper Hamrick was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
Even though they lost, Independence always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .556. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Catholic waltzed into their contest on Wednesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 6-5 W against the Knights.
The team relied heavily on Jon Fijalkowski, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Matt McKnight, who scored a run while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Charlotte Catholic pushed their record up to 5-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of five runs across that stretch. As for Independence, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 2-4.
Independence suffered a grim 16-0 defeat to Charlotte Catholic in their previous meeting on Tuesday. Will Independence 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.
