By Angie Ledbetter

The South Panola Lady Tiger fast pitch team played their first district game at Columbus and shut down the Lady Falcons 17-0 in four innings Tuesday.

The Lady Tigers had 11 hits including two doubles, one triple, 10 RBIs (runs batted in), four walks and two strike outs for the night.

Kenzi Reed was on the mound for the Lady Tigers and fanned 11 batters. On offense, she was 2-for-3, scoring two runs.

The Lady Tigers scored three runs in the first inning, seven in the second, five in the third and two in the fourth.

Also hitting for the Lady Tigers were : Stormy Robison, 3-for-4, three runs, one RBI; Lauren Calvert, 2-for-2, two runs, one RBI; Meri Morgan Fortune, two walks, two runs; Hillari Plummer, 1-for-2, two runs; Chelsea Allen, 1-for-3, a double, three RBIs, one run; Kelsay Hancock, 1-for-3, a triple, two RBIs, one run; Meredith Roberson, 1-for-2, two RBIs, one run; Lindsey Calvert, 0-for-1, one run, one RBI; Madison Greenlee, 1-for-1, a double, one run; and Haley Walton, 0-for-2, one walk, one run.

When the Columbus pitcher began struggling, the Lady Tigers got 11 hits, according to Lady Tiger head coach Ashleigh Hicks.

“She is an average pitcher but we really went down there and put the ball in play,” Hicks said. “We just really played well.  Kenzi was a big part of the game throwing the ball at 58 or 59 (mph). Columbus put two balls in play all night and no hits. Most of our junior varsity players got to play starting in the second inning. As far as batting and the defense, they pulled in most of the hits”

The Lady Tigers defeated Brandon 4-1 Monday night in the Grenada Tournament.

The Tigers scored two runs in the second and two in the fifth. Scoring for the Lady Tigers were Hillari Plummer, Kenzi Reed, Kelsay Hancock and Haley Walton.

Stormy Robison pitched the complete game in seven innings and had four strikeouts, allowing three hits, one run, two walks, and committing one error.

“We didn’t hit the ball as well as I would’ve liked,” Hicks said. “We had a good eye for the ball, got on base and scored on some errors and fast balls. The defense was strong. They didn’t score the one run until the sixth inning and it was a walk that got on.”

The Lady Tigers’ Thursday game against Southaven was canceled due to inclement weather. A makeup day has not been decided.

“Our team is a lot better since the last time we played them. Horn Lake defeated Southaven 2-1 on Tuesday night so they’ll be coming off a big loss and that was a district loss for them.”

If the weather allows, tonight the Lady Tigers will travel to Starkville to take on the Lady Yellowjackets in the second district game of the season.

“It makes me happy that we started off 1-0 in the district. I told the girls all year long that those are the games that matter. You could be 7-1 right now but if that one loss is a district one, then that’s the one that matters the most. It makes us feel good that we’re heading in the right direction. I plan on us going down there and taking care of business.”