The Briggs Bruins will square off against the Independence 76ers at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Briggs is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last five games.
On Tuesday, Briggs got the win against South by a conclusive 20-13. The result was nothing new for the Bruins, who have now won six contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Wyatt Martin
| 04/15/25 @ South | 6 |
| 03/27/24 @ Eastmoor Academy | 5 |
| 04/01/25 vs Shekinah Christian | 4 |
| 04/16/24 @ Africentric Early College | 4 |
| 04/29/24 vs Africentric Early College | 2 |
Wyatt Martin made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out six batters over 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). Those six strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-5 with three RBI and one stolen base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on JD Adkins, who scored five runs while going 3-for-4. He also put up two doubles, which were his first of the season. Troy Downs was another key player, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with four RBI, two doubles, and one stolen base.
Briggs kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Independence had taken Marion-Franklin down for two straight games at home, but that winning streak came to an end on Monday. The 76ers came up short against the Red Devils, falling 22-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the 76ers have suffered against the Red Devils since May 3, 2019.
Richard Kearney and Darric Gibson stepped up to the plate in a big way. Kearney scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-2, while Gibson scored two runs and stole four bases while going 1-for-1. Gibson is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged two or more in each of the last three games he's played.
Briggs' win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 7-2. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.0 runs over those games. As for Independence, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Briggs has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 10.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Independence struggles in that department as they've been averaging 11.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Briggs took their win against Independence in their previous meeting back in March by a conclusive 19-1 score. Will the Bruins repeat their success, or do the 76ers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
