A fifth-inning grand slam by Todd County Central High School junior Samantha Case proved to be the difference Tuesday, as the Rebel softball team held off host Edmonson County for a 7-3 road victory.
Case, who has now homered six times this season, drove in a game-high five runs and helped Todd Central get back to the .500 mark for the season. The Rebels used some key hits to overcome four defensive errors in the victory.
TCCHS took a 1-0 lead in the first on Abigail McPherson’s sacrifice fly and scored twice in the third inning on an RBI groundout from Case and an RBI single from Jocelyn Mock to go up 3-1. That lead ballooned in a big way in the top of the fifth. After a walk from Addison Woodall and singles by Averie Luckenbill and Abby Williams, Case launched a deep fly to left that cleared the fence and gave Todd County Central a commanding 7-1 advantage.
McPherson (6-6), who scattered six hits and gave up three runs (just one earned) in the complete-game win, did allow a two-out, two-run double by the Lady Cats’ Hallie Cassady in the sixth, but induced back-to-back fielder’s choice plays in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Edmonson County’s Alexa Henderson (6-11) took the loss after giving up five hits, two walks, and three runs in 4 1/3 innings. Julie Norris gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief. That Henderson-Norris duo has combined to throw all 165 Lady Cat innings in the circle in 2021.
Williams (2-for-3, three runs, walk) and Lucy Cumbee (1-for-2, run) also had strong nights for the Rebels, who won for the third time in their last four games. Todd County Central (13-13) plays its regular-season home finale on May 27 against Caverna.
