Softball Recap: Shelby Valley Comes Up Short

Shelby Valley had lost ten straight on the road dating back to last season, but on Saturday they dropped their record down to 4-11 to make it 11. They lost 12-6 to the Letcher County Central Cougars. If the Wildcats were looking for revenge after losing 9-1 to the Cougars when the teams met back in May of 2024, then they'll just have to keep looking.

As for Letcher County Central, they have been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 12 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-8 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.3 runs over those games.

For Letcher County Central's part, Kelsey Bentley made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing seven innings while giving up just one earned (and five unearned) runs off five hits. Bentley was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one run and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kaily Bentley, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Those two runs gave her a new career-high. Amirah Cook also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.

Looking ahead, Shelby Valley will be playing at home against Belfry at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday. As for Letcher County Central, they will welcome Clay County at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday.