The Independence Patriots will take on the Cuthbertson Cavaliers at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Independence barely beat Charlotte Catholic the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. Independence blew past Charlotte Catholic 13-1 on Friday. The Patriots haven't had any issues with the Cougars recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive victory against them.
Maliyah Alexander
| 03/07/25 @ Charlotte Catholic | 7 |
| 03/03/25 @ Mallard Creek | 9 |
| 02/28/25 vs Myers Park | 11 |
| 02/26/25 @ Weddington | 5 |
Maliyah Alexander made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Natalie Johnson and Michaela Williams did most of the damage at the plate: Johnson scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Williams scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Johnson has been hot recently, having posted three or more hits the last three times she's played. Another player making a difference was Sydnee Platt, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Independence kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Cuthbertson put another one in the bag on Monday to keep their perfect season alive. They put the hurt on Hopewell with a sharp 19-2 win. That 17 run margin sets a new team best for the Cavaliers this season.
Cuthbertson got a massive performance out of Grace Murray, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Those three runs gave Murray a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Alexis Juhl, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one triple.
Cuthbertson's victory was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Independence, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Independence hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .324. However, it's not like Cuthbertson struggles in that department as they've averaged .486. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Independence suffered a grim 9-1 defeat to Cuthbertson in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Will Independence have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
