Led by a fantastic individual effort from Zoey Theophilus, the Black Hills softball team defeated Centralia in a non-league contest, 5-4, Friday afternoon at Borst Park in Centralia.
The senior threw a complete game, with just one of the four Tiger runs earned on six hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts. For good measure, Theophilus gave the Wolves the lead with one crack of the bat in the third inning, hitting a grand slam that would turn out to be enough to win it after some insurance in the sixth.
Emma Arko also finished 2 for 4 with a run scored for the Wolves.
The Tigers, meanwhile, had a hard time getting the bats going until a too-little, too-late rally in the seventh.
Centralia was held to one run for most of the way before a 3-spot in the seventh, with the tying run getting called out at second to end the game after a single.
Peyton Smith pitched six innings, giving up five runs, with four earned, on seven hits and one walk. Smith also struck out three in the circle. Hollynn Wakefield stepped in for the final three outs and struck out two in the scoreless inning.
Payton Baumel went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored, and Jimena Luis hit a double and scored two runs for the Tigers.
Black Hills will take on Rochester Saturday on the road while Centralia plays Shelton on Monday.
