After winning five straight baseball games to close out the month of April, Todd County Central found itself on the wrong end of the scoreboard for the fourth time in its past five outings Tuesday, falling 7-3 at Franklin-Simpson High School.
Wildcats ace pitcher Dalton Fiveash was outstanding, striking out 11 Rebels in five innings. He allowed just two hits and walked none before exiting with a 7-0 lead. Fiveash (3-1) faced one batter over the minimum and put his squad in the position to win for the 12th time in 21 games.
Franklin-Simpson struck early and often to take control. After Fiveash struck out the side to open the game, the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead on an RBI double from senior Cole Wix in the bottom of the first. Luke Richardson later followed with a one-out RBI single to put his team up a pair. That duo ultimately combined to go 5-for-7 with five RBIs and three runs.
Following a four-run third inning from FSHS, Todd Central managed to get on the board in the sixth behind a bases-loaded walk by Tanner Farmer and Jacob Brandon’s two-run single — all with two outs — to cut the Wildcat lead to 7-3. With runners on second and third, Franklin-Simpson reliever Ben Banton got Jameson Hunt to line out to end the comeback attempt.
Farmer (0-1) took the loss for the Rebels. He gave up six hits and six runs in 2 1/3 innings. He added three walks and a strikeout in his first decision of 2021. Offensively, Brandon led his team in the losing effort, going 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Preston Rager added two walks and a double, while Farmer went 1-for-2 with a walk and the aforementioned RBI.
Todd County Central (14-8) will look to get back on track May 14 during a road game at Butler County.
