Central Cabarrus 9 – Independence 2
The Lady Patriots experienced a difficult loss against Central Cabarrus on Wednesday with a 9-2 defeat. Independence had a 2-1 lead going into the top of the seventh inning and the hard-hitting Vikings took full advantage of every mistake and miscue made in the final inning in an otherwise well-played game up to this point.
The Patriots just fell apart defensively making 4 errors, while the Vikings smacked out 6 hits off relief pitcher Jaylin Adkins who was hit hard for the second time this season after cruising through the fifth and sixth.
Abrianna Berry went 2-4 with an RBI to lead the Lady Patriots offensively. While the Patriots top starter senior Kayla Douglas pitched 5 solid innings. She allowed 6 hits, 1 run, 0 earned runs, and 1 base on balls. Douglas faced 23 batters, hurled 51 pitches had an OBA .273, OBP .304 for the softball game.
The defense which is normally tight committed 9 errors which are a season high. Against a good team like the Vikings, you are eventually going pay a price. A team cannot give a solid hitting team 4 and 5 outs consistently throughout the game. Jaylin Adkins took the loss.
Independence 8 – Myers Park 1
The Lady Patriots bounced back with an important conference win on Thursday night on the road. The Patriots are a good hitting team and will score runs. Their offense is the strength of this ball club.
In the third inning they scored 3 runs to take the lead. Then followed up with 4 more runs in the top of the forth on multiple hits to put this contest away early.
Kayla Douglas was again on the mound, she pitched a nifty 5 innings while allowing only 2 hits, 1 walk on 80 pitches. She also had 4 strikeouts, with an OBA .118, OBP .167 in the ball game. Jaylin Adkins pitched in relief to keep the Mustangs in check. Douglas picked up the win.
Adkins went 3-4, Mallory Shaver 2-4, 3 RBI’s, Maya Douglas 2-4, 2 RBI’s, and Abrianna Berry 2-4, 1 RBI.
Hickory Ridge 7 – Independence 6 (Game called due to darkness will continue)
The Patriots in a bizarre top of the seventh inning that could have been called by the officials continued in the darkness. The softball field has no lights and it was getting dark even with a yellow ball.
Independence had a 6-4 lead after six innings of play. The umpires were hoping for an easy 1,2,3 inning and go home giving the Ragin’Bulls their last at-bat. This was an important conference game. The Patriots won the first contest 10-9 early in the season.
In the top of the seventh, the Bulls put two runners on the bases with one out, the batter hit a foul ball to short right field and two Patriots collided. The players were down for 5-7 minutes, just enough time for the night sky to darken.
With one run in and the score 6-5, the Patriots in the lead, runners on 2nd and 3rd, a pop up to the infield that should have ended the game was not seen by three Patriot infielders fell safely behind the pitcher’s mound to score the two base runners giving Hickory Ridge a 7-6 lead. The umpires then removed the players from the field due to darkness.
The officials ruled to presume and finish the game at another time with a runner on base, with two outs in the seventh inning. This way the Patriots can bat in the bottom half as the home team. This was a decision made by the officiating crew on the scene.
The big blows in the game for the Patriots came off the bats of Abrianna Berry who had a double for 2 RBI’s, and Maya Douglas belted a triple for 2 RBI’s.
