Softball Game Preview: Edwards County Lions vs. North Clay/Clay City

The Edwards County Lions will venture away from home to square off against North Clay/Clay City at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Edwards County has 12 straight victories, North Clay/Clay City has seven straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Edwards County had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Gibson Southern on Saturday. The Lions never let the Titans get on the board and left with a 7-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won seven contests by six runs or more so far this season.

Allison Groff was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Groff was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.

In other batting news, Holly Hensley was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI. Another player making a difference was Madi Murphy, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.

Meanwhile, North Clay/Clay City lost 9-1 to Neoga on Friday.

Edwards County's victory was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for North Clay/Clay City, their loss dropped their record down to 0-6.

Everything went Edwards County's way against North Clay/Clay City in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Edwards County made off with an 11-1 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lions since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.