Franklin Central had lost four straight on the road, but on Thursday they dropped down to 9-8 to make it five. They took an 8-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Southport Cardinals. The Flashes were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Cardinals apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in May of 2025.
Olivia Starr put in work no matter where she played. She tossed 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 14 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Mariah Brown was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Adalynn Foster, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
As for Southport, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.2 runs over those games.
Like Franklin Central, Southport also got a great game from a two-way player: Ady Stansbury. On the mound, she pitched seven innings while giving up three earned runs off eight hits. Stansbury was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Lindsey Vaught and Hayli Phoenix did most of the damage at the plate: Vaught went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run, while Phoenix went 2-for-3 with two runs and one double. That's the most hits Vaught has posted since April 3rd. Malia Breedlove was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Looking ahead, Franklin Central will be playing at home against McCutcheon at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. As for Southport, they will venture away from home to take on Terre Haute South Vigo at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The Braves have struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed 8.13 runs per game on average), something the Cardinals will no doubt try to take advantage of.
