MINT HILL, NC – The Independence Patriots powered past the Garinger Wildcats in Tuesday’s doubleheader at Garinger High School, where the Patriots run-ruled the wildcats 16-0 in five innings, and again run-ruling the Wildcats 20-2 in game two.

Game 1:  Independence 16, Garinger 0

Indy set the tone from the start. In the top of the first inning, the Patriots sent thirteen batters to the plate and plated 9 runs on four hits and six walks.  Although Indy added seven more runs in the top of the second inning, the big play of the day came in the bottom of the second inning.

The Patriots walked the first two batters giving Garinger runners at first and second.   Garinger’s Jeremiah Stallings stepped into the batters’ box and blasted a hard line drive that caused the base runners to advance. However, Indy’s shortstop Jake Stanley made a jumping catch for the first out.  He threw the ball to Indy’s first baseman Zack Mangum who stepped on the bag for the second out.  Mangum fired the ball to Indy’s second baseman Cooper Golden who tagged the runner for the third out for a triple killing.

Indy didn’t score any runs in the top of the third inning.  Leading 16-0, Indy’s head coach Sam Skinner waived Indy’s fourth and fifth innings at-bat and held Garinger scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 16-0 win.

Independence  9  7  0  X  X  –  16

Garinger           0  0  0  0  0  –    0

Game 2:

The top of the first inning of game two was a total train wreck for the Wildcats’ pitching.  They gave up ten runs on three hits, committed three errors, issued four walks, and one batter was hit by a pitch, allowing the Patriots to score ten runs in the top half of the inning.

However, the Wildcats scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 10-2, but that would be the last runs the Wildcats could manage.

The Patriots would go on to win the night cap by scoring a run in the top of the of the second, adding five runs in the third inning and finishing off the night with four runs in the fourth to make the score 20-2.

The Patriots waved their fifth inning at bat and held the Wildcats scoreless in the bottom of the fifth to take two conference wins.

Independence  10 1 5 4 X  –  20

Garinger             2 0 0 0 0 –    2