East Mecklenburg has won four straight games at home, while Independence has won four straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Eagles will welcome the Patriots at 4:00 p.m. East Mecklenburg is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.8 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, East Mecklenburg came out on top against Ballantyne Ridge by a score of 8-3 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game).
Geneva Garvais
| 04/09/25 vs Ballantyne Ridge | 14 |
| 04/07/25 @ Sun Valley | 10 |
| 04/04/25 @ Butler | 17 |
| 04/02/25 @ Mallard Creek | 12 |
| 03/25/25 vs Providence | 5 |
| + 7 more games |
Geneva Garvais was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 14 over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one home run and one triple.
In other batting news, East Mecklenburg got a big performance out of Jahslyn Pruitt, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Pruitt is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last five games she's played. Another player making a difference was Zya Dunlap, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
East Mecklenburg was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .480. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ballantyne Ridge only posted a batting average of .120.
Meanwhile, Independence sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-6 win over Providence on Tuesday.
Maliyah Alexander spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and one unearned) runs on 11 hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Morgan Clark, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one stolen base. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Natalie Johnson, who went 2-for-3 with two doubles.
East Mecklenburg is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-9 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Independence, their win bumped their record up to 16-2.
East Mecklenburg's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Eagles have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Independence, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will East Mecklenburg continue to outrun the ball?
East Mecklenburg couldn't quite get it done against Independence in their previous matchup back in March as they fell 4-0. Will the Eagles have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
