Kayden Althoff turned in a strong pitching performance and also delivered the biggest hit of the game, helping Teutopolis post a 7-4 win Saturday over South Central and gain a split in the North Clay Showcase.

In their opening game, the Shoes dropped a 4-3 decision to the host Cardinals.

Against South Central, the game was tied entering the sixth inning. With one out, Evan Addis walked, Derek Deters got a base hit and Sam Bushur walked to load the bases. Althoff then ripped a double, driving in two and putting THS on top to stay. Evan Wermert added a sacrifice fly to make it a 5-2 lead.

In the seventh, a single by Logan Roepke and a pair of walks loaded the bases again and Sam Bushur delivered a two-run single expanding the Shoes lead to five runs.

Althoff pitched 5.2 innings, allowing three hits and two runs. He also walked three and struck out nine. The Cougars rallied in the bottom of the seventh. They combined three hits and two walks to score two runs and they had the bases loaded with two outs. But Derek Konkel came in to record a strikeout and earn the save.

Roepke had an RBI single and Justin Hardiek a sacrifice fly to put the Shoes on top 2-0 in the opening inning. South Central got a solo home run by Chase Dodson in the bottom of the first and added another tally in the second to tie the game.

In the first game, a two-out single by Holden Clifton in the top of the seventh drove in what proved to be the winning run in North Clay’s 4-3 win over T-Town.

A bases-loaded walk by Derek Deters gave the Shoes a 1-0 lead in the second. North Clay scored one run in the fourth and added two more in the fifth to go ahead 3-1. But Teutopolis tallied twice in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up.

With one out, Sam Bushur was hit by a pitch and Wermert followed with an RBI double. Dylan Pruemer then brought in the tying run with a ground ball.

Evan Addis was the THS starter and went 4.1 innings, allowing three hits and three runs, while walking two and striking out four. Kendall Schmidt went 1.2 innings and Bushur pitched the seventh and absorbed the loss.

The Shoes are now 10-4 on the season. They will play three games this week -- Wednesday at Windsor/Stew-Stras; a doubleheader at home against Altamont on Thursday; and St. Anthony at home Friday.