In their first game since an 8-4 district loss to Enterprise last Monday, the Cathedral Lady Green Wave showed no signs of a letdown with an impressive 15-2 win over the Franklin County Lady Bulldogs Saturday morning at the Natchez Girls Softball Complex.

Cathedral eighth-grader Chelsi Smith had a solid complete-game performance on the mound, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and struck out one.

&uot;With this being a non-district game I wanted to give her (Smith) some experience,&uot; said Lady Green Wave coach Lynn Ogden.

Franklin County (2-7) had its chances for big innings in the top of the first and second innings, but outstanding defense by Cathedral held the Lady Bulldogs to only one run, an RBI single by Katie Johnson in the second. Franklin County left the bases loaded in both frames.

&uot;We played excellent defense today,&uot; coach Ogden said. &uot;Sometimes you tend to play better in non-district games.&uot;

Cathedral (4-1) wasted no time getting its offense going as Jessica Barrett doubled to bring in Mary Margaret Alwood and Leighton McDaniel in the bottom of the first. Emily Stevens scored in the bottom of the second when Chelsi Smith hit into a double play in the bottom of the second to give Cathedral a 3-1 lead. Franklin County’s last run of the game occurred in the top of the third inning on a double by Ellisha Cameron that brought in Charlsey McGalliard, who led off the inning with a double.

Cathedral opened the game with five runs in the bottom of the third, led by RBI doubles by Kelsey Stephens and Laura Huffines and an RBI single by Tori Blackwell.

Huffines went 2-for-3 and Blackwell was 3-for-3.

&uot;I was pleased with our hitting today,&uot; Ogden said. &uot;We had some good hits today.&uot;

Mattie Smith scored on a single and two errors in the bottom of the fourth to give Cathedral a 9-2 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Barrett hit a two-run, inside-the-park home run and the Lady Green Wave completed their scoring with four runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run triple by Alex Roberts, wo went 2-for-4, and RBI singles by Katie Hinton and McDaniel, who was 3-for-4.

&uot;I was surprised (about hitting the home run),&uot; said Barrett, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. &uot;All of our hitting has been bad, but we came back this time.&uot;

Cathedral hosts Salem in district play at 5 p.m. Monday.