One way or another a pair of old rivals will always find each other.
That’s the case with Independence and Wyoming East’s softball teams.
For years the two programs battled for the sectional championship but after the most recent reclassification and realignment they were moved to different sides of the region.
Wyoming East beat Independence in the 2016, 17 and 18 sectional championships, but the Lady Patriots finally solved that puzzle in 2019, climbing out of the loser’s bracket to beat East and advance to the regional championship and ultimately the state tournament.
Now, for the fifth straight season the two teams will meet again with higher stakes – the winners advances to the state tournament.
But this time East comes in as the underdog. The two teams played just once this season on May 6 at Wyoming East. The game was close, as Kaylen Parks’ two-run home run was the difference in a 2-0 decision that went in favor of Indy.
The two teams even had similar paths to this point. Both won their sectional openers with ease, moved to the championship game with 1-0 wins over county rivals and ultimately won those championship games by multiple runs.
As with most significant softball games, the best-of-3 series will likely be won with pitching. Both teams can feel comfortable with that.
Independence will trot out sophomore hurler Delaney Buckland who comes into this week’s series with 20 wins and a 2.38 ERA, leading the state in strikeouts with an eyepopping 303 on the year. The last time the two teams played she yielded just one hit.
Wyoming East will send out Olivia Hylton, who has pitched all 17 innings in the postseason for East and allowed just two hits over that span, pitching a perfect game against Westside. She finished the regular season with a 2.78 ERA, striking out 172 batters.
Those two aren’t the only difference makers though.
The aforementioned Parks comes into the series as a Player of the Year candidate, batting .602 with 56 RBIs and 12 home runs. She’s been the difference in the last two regular season matchups against East. In addition to her two-run shot that won the game earlier this season, she hit the decisive solo home run when the teams played in 2019 – a game Indy won 2-1.
East doesn’t have a player that can match Parks’ output, but they don’t have a bunch of slouches either. Catcher Paige Laxton is the team’s best hitter, batting .478 with 24 RBIs and 16 doubles. Hylton leads the team with four home runs.
The downside for East is most of their team is young. Independence fields a young team as well, but has faced a gauntlet featuring the state’s top teams.
Still the young Lady Warriors are trying to find their footing.
Due to the pandemic, Hylton and Laxton are the only two players who had played high school ball for the Lady Warriors before this season. For the rest of the team this is their freshman season and it’s led to some inconsistencies at the plate throughout the year. Factor in that two of the team’s starters – Kayley Bane and Maddie Clark – got a late start due to basketball and those inconsistencies become more understandable.
“If we can’t hit, it will be a long two days,” East head coach Doc Warner said. “Last time we put the ball in play a couple of times. We need to do that instead of striking out.”
The series will open Monday at Independence before shifting to Wyoming East on Tuesday for Game 2. If necessary, Game 3 will be held at Independence on Wednesday.
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on Twitter @tjack94
