By Brad Greer

Despite winning a pair of easy games in the J. Z. George tournament to open the season, South Panola head slowpitch softball coach Kim Wilson was not satisfied with  the Tiger defense. But after Tuesday afternoon’s 13-0 home-opening romp over Strayhorn, Wilson’s perception changed tremendously.

“Our defense played really well. The bats were active over the weekend, but we had some problems with our defense. We spent the last two days focusing on defense and it showed today. We made some dumb mistakes in the tournament but we made up for them today,” said Wilson of the Lady Tigers who played error-free softball while giving up three hits.

South Panola, (3-0), scored 10 runs on nine hits – all singles-  in the bottom of the fourth inning to break open a 3-0 game as the game was called after the fifth inning due to the 12-run rule.

Christa Brown tossed all five innings to record the win in the pitching circle.

South Panola picked up a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the first as Meri Morgan Fortune reached on a two-out error then advanced to second on a Destine Brandon single. Chresha Brown then drove in both runners with a triple to right. Brown attempted to score on the play, but was thrown out on a perfect relay throw from the outfield.

One inning later, the Tigers tacked on another run as Crystal Contreras crushed a one-out triple then scored on Lindsey Calvert’s RBI double.

While the Tiger bats were coming to life, Christa Brown retired the first seven Strayhorn batters before giving up back-to-back singles with one out in the third. Brown got out of the jam by retiring the next two hitters to keep the shutout in tact. Kaylee Williams accounted for the Mustangs’ other hit with a single in the fifth

South Panola put the finishing touches on the game in the fourth by sending 14 batters to the plate. Marla Rudd led off with a single followed by Lindsey Calvert’s single that was sandwiched between an error and walk that produced a run.

Lauren Calvert recorded the first out with a RBI groundout to make the score 5-0. Diamond Browning and Christa Brown reached on singles before Amanda Ivy drilled a double down the left field line to drive home Browning and Brown.

The inning continued with five straight singles that produced seven runs before Lindsey Calvert grounded out to end the inning. Five Tigers recorded two hits each while all but one player registered a hit in the game.

“We have been swinging the bats really well the first three games. We had a little advantage on them (Strayhorn) because this was their first game. I feel we have got a strong offensive team that can swing the bats, but its like anything else, you’re going to have days when the hits are not falling your way. We are just going to fight through that when those games come,” said Wilson.

South Panola’s regular scheduled game against Cleveland last night was canceled due to the Wildcats dropping their slowpitch program for the season.

The Lady Tigers’ will host Grenada Tuesday in the district opener at 4 p.m.