Softball Game Preview: Clay County Panthers vs. South Harrison Hawks

The Clay County Panthers will take on the South Harrison Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Clay County has given up an average of 11.3 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Clay County couldn't beat Roane County on Thursday even though they stacked ten runs on them in the sixth inning. The Panthers fell just short of the Raiders by a score of 16-15. The Panthers have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Meanwhile, South Harrison entered their tilt with Elkins on Monday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Tigers a 9-0 shutout.

Ava Louk made a splash while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in two of her three plate appearances with two runs.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alissa Talbott, who went 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Gabby Davis was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.

South Harrison pushed their record up to 7-10 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Clay County, their loss dropped their record down to 3-8.

Clay County suffered a grim 22-14 defeat to South Harrison in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.