After waiting all week to play their opener on Friday at Cumberland County, the Todd County Central Lady Rebels left the tying run on third in a narrow 8-7 loss to the Lady Panthers.
With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third, a pair of Lady Rebel errors opened the door for a four-run inning for Cumberland County. Erica Branham and Aleah Scott singled in runs and the Lady Panthers appeared to be in control up 5-1.
However, after Todd Central’s Maliyah Merriweather opened the bottom of the fourth with a double, Dakotah Gammon cleared the centerfield fence for a two-run home run to cut the lead to 5-3.
Cumberland County tacked on a run on Madi Cooksey’s RBI double before Naomi Welborn singled to drive in a run and another came home on a wild pitch in the Todd Central half of the fifth to tie the game.
A run in the bottom of the fifth restored the Lady Panther advantage, and Scott made it 8-6 with an RBI single in the sixth. A pair of Cumberland County errors gave the Lady Rebels life in their final at-bat, and Welborn rounded out a three-RBI night with a sacrifice fly.
With two outs and the tying run on third, Cumberland County’s Abby Morgan finished off two and two-thirds of relief with a strikeout to even the Lady Panthers record at 1-1.
Olivia Weikel took the loss for the Lady Rebels, allowing five runs, one earned, on four hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts over three frames.
Branham earned the win in the circle, surrendering six runs, four earned, on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in four and a third innings.
Todd Central has the rest of the weekend off before hosting Warren Central on Monday. The Lady Dragons will enter the contest at 0-3 while being outscored 40-3.
