Softball Recap: Harlan County Comes Up Short

Harlan County was the 5-4 winner over Knox Central when they last played one another back in May of 2024, but their luck changed this time around. The Black Bears fell just short of the Panthers by a score of 5-4 on Thursday. Black Bears fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Panthers since on Thursday.

Aly Sherman

Base on Balls Against

04/24/25 vs Knox Central	1
04/18/25 @ South Laurel	2
04/15/25 @ Leslie County	1

Aly Sherman put in work while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases.

In other batting news, Braylen Gilley made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that she has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Maddy Blair, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.

Harlan County's record now sits at 9-12. As for Knox Central, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 7-6-1 record this season.

Harlan County will face off against Whitley County at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The Colonels have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed 8.44 runs per game on average), something the Black Bears will no doubt try to take advantage of. As for Knox Central, they will welcome Harlan at 6:00 p.m. on Monday.