By Angie Ledbetter

Kenzi Reed pitched a no-hitter to open the 5A defending State Champion South Panola Lady Tiger fastpitch softball season.

“Kenzi Reed did an awesome job today pitching for us,” said Coach Ashleigh Hicks. “On the mound today, she showed just how hard she has been working all year. I think she surprised a lot of people today. I don’t think a lot of people expected us to have a pitcher like her. The good thing is we have Stormy sitting over here that nobody really knows about either that can also do that on the mound.”

The only score of the game came in the bottom of the sixth when Olivia Taylor was the courtesy runner for Meredith Roberson. Taylor stole second and third and scored when Reed’s third strike was dropped by the Hernando catcher.

The Lady Tigers depended heavily on the defense to hold Hernando scoreless.

“Our defense did really well,” Hicks said. “We made some awesome plays and people were where they were supposed to be.”

The first few games the Lady Tigers always need to work on hitting, according to Hicks. Her main concern right now is bunting.

“We didn’t bunt very well and in fast pitch, bunts are a big part of the game,” she said. “We weren’t getting our bunts down so I was concerned about extra innings. If you can’t bunt extra innings then most of the time, you’re not going to win.”

The junior varsity lost 5-2. Hernando scored two runs in the top of the first and Paige Jordan hit a home run in the bottom of the first.

 Hernando scored another run in top of the second to go up 3-1.

In the bottom of the third Christa Brown came in for another run after going in as the designated runner for Amanda Ivy. Hernando scored the last two runs in the top of the fourth.

On the mound for the Jr. Varsity Lady Tigers were Hancock, Madison Taylor and Diamond Browning.        

The Lady Tigers travel to Lewisburg today to play. They will be back at home Thursday when they host Senatobia and Friday to host Horn Lake

The junior varsity play at 5 p.m. and varsity at 6 p.m.