The Heritage Pride will square off against Independence at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
While Heritage's victory against Stone Bridge wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Pride had just enough and edged out the Bulldogs 14-13.
Ryleigh Dooley was incredible, firing off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while going 3-for-5. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Noelle Smith was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
While Independence didn't have the best season last year (they finished 5-11), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They blew past Freedom 14-3 on Wednesday. That 11 run margin sets a new team best for Independence this season.
Emma Stringer made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Stringer was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Independence let Halliday Fulcher and Dely Keller run wild. Fulcher scored three runs while going 3-for-4, while Keller scored two runs while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Andraya Santos, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Independence kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Heritage has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 4-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for Independence, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
Heritage suffered a grim 18-8 defeat to Independence in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Will the Pride 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.
