NATCHEZ &045; You could sense something was amiss the way Natchez High softball players shrewdly loitered around the Natchez-Adams Softball Complex field after their victory Tuesday.

Sure enough pitcher Krystal Arnold and left fielder Ashley Mitchell manned each side of the Gatorade cooler prepared to douse first-year head coach Leigh Anne Mason after her first district win, an 11-0 thumping of Vicksburg.

But they underestimated the engine on the coach, who took off for the outfield and managed to escape the jug of water except for a slight spray on the back of her white, knit shirt.

The Bulldogs (7-1, 1-0 division 6-5A) are hoping for more celebratory moments in a district that includes only Tuesday’s victim and Warren Central.

&uot;I told the girls before the game that for us to go through to the playoffs it started right here with Vicksburg and Warren Central,&uot; said Mason, whose only loss was a 12-11 defeat to Cathedral in late August. &uot;These girls know what district means, and they know what it takes right here to get to the postseason.&uot;

A five-run second inning where Natchez High batters lit up Vicksburg starter A. Harigill like the Vegas strip, sparked the mercy rule win.

Bulldog right fielder Rosetta Ikard led things off in the bottom of the second with a triple, crossing home plate on a single from Chelsea Hall to make it a 2-0 game.

With Hall at second and Ashley Mitchell a step off the bag at first, leadoff hitter Mable Green sent a screamer down the left field line to clear the bases on a three-run home run to make it 5-0.

&uot;I was focused, that was the main thing. I came ready to play today,&uot; said Green, who was an at-bat shy of a possible cycle in three appearances. &uot;I think the Franklin County game (Monday) got us ready to go. We’re just staying focused and concentrated on hitting the ball.&uot;

Sarah Weaver, who followed Green’s laser with a triple of her own, made it 6-0 when she scored on a Honda Griffin ground out.

Up 8-0 to open the fourth, Natchez added three runs to reach double digits and forced Vicksburg to get on run across in its half of the fifth.

Green, who led off the game with a triple, beat out an infield hit to begin the fourth and made it 9-0 when Weaver followed with her second triple of the contest.

&uot;I preach to them to focus on hitting strikes and to swing hard through the baseball,&uot; Mason said. &uot;As long as you put the ball in play, something is going to happen.&uot;

Weaver chugged home when Griffin reached on an error by Vicksburg first baseman W. Smith, who could not handle the throw from shortstop C. Stamps.

Three batters later Griffin scored the game’s final run when Tasha Davis hit a sacrifice fly to left field.

Vicksburg head coach Laquitta Smith declined comment.

&uot;It puts me at ease knowing when the bases are loaded and I’ve (Nos.) 5, 6 and 7 in the order coming up,&uot; Mason said. &uot;It makes me comfortable knowing we’re solid. That depth makes coaching a lot easier.&uot;

So does the Bulldogs’ defense. Natchez was flawless in the field, scooping up ground balls and firing them over to first, and parking under pop flies.

Natchez even hosed aggressive Gator base runner H. Shelby in the second when Mitchell gunned her down trying to take third base on a single from C. Jones.

&uot;Our defense is so solid,&uot; Mason said. &uot;We struggled a little bit today in the pop-ups we hit. I’m trying to work with them on hitting line drives. We want to get our hits down before we play Warren Central next week.&uot;