HS Softball: Indpendence wins Battle of the Patriots

Jenna Joyce and Chloe Cunningham drive in three runs each to lead Independence past Midland Trail 9-1 Tuesday

In the first three games of the softball season, Independence had run roughshod over its opponents.

Tuesday night at Larry T. Poe the level of competition took a step up when regional rival Midland Trail came to Coal City.

In a Battle of the Patriots, the win went to Independence, 9-1 in five innings, but the Fayette County Patriots let it be known that they will be a serious player for a state tournament spot when postseason play rolls around.

Independence head coach Ken Adkins discussed the win over Trail.

After dodging a scoring threat from Trail in the first inning with a double play, Indy took a 1-0 lead on an RBI-double from freshman Payton Boothe.

The Coal City girls started to heat up in the third frame when Emma Simpson smacked a lead-off home run, jump-starting the decisive inning.

Boothe ripped her second double of the game two batters later before Jenna Joyce made it a 4-0 game with a homer to right-centerfield.

A costly error by the visitors allowed two more runs to cross, pushing the advantage to 6-0 after three full innings.

Trail's lone run came in the fourth when Presley Walker singled, moved to third on an Independence error and scored on a sacrifice bunt from Anslee Maynor.

The home team wasted no time adding to the lead and putting the game away in bottom of the frame.

An RBI-single from Joyce and a fielder's choice grounder from Paytin Brehm made it 8-1.

Freshman Chloe Cunningham stepped in and hit a rocket off of the right-centerfield fence, moving the advantage to 9-1.

Cunningham and Joyce both drove in three runs in the win.