NATCHEZ &045; The Hazlehurst Lady Indians proved why they are the one of the best teams in Class 3A by pounding out 12 hits and getting solid pitching by Dee Singleton in a 14-0 win over Natchez High Thursday afternoon at the Natchez-Adams Girls Softball Complex.

Hazlehurst, the District 6-3A champions and now at 13-2 overall, scored in all but one of the five innings by not only getting timely hits, but also taking advantage of eight Natchez errors.

&uot;What can I say,&uot; Lady Bulldogs head coach Charlie Williams said. &uot;That was pitiful. Absolutely pitiful.&uot;

Hazlehurst jumped on Natchez pitcher Kristy Franklin early and often in this five-inning contest.

The Lady Indians took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Chiquita Blue reached second base on an error and scored on a single by Singleton, who later scored on a Tearra Wilbert groundout.

That would be enough runs for Singleton, who had a no-hitter going until the bottom of the fifth when Verlene Thompson singled with two outs, but was tagged out between first and second for the final out of the game.

&uot;We started off a little slow, but we came around,&uot; Lady Indians head coach Cola Banks said. &uot;In the end they played like district champs.&uot;

As for the performance by Singleton, Banks said, &uot;This is typical of her. She usually does a magnificent job.&uot;

Hazlehurst wasn’t done getting runs across after the first inning &045; not by a long shot.

The Lady Indians added two more runs in the top of the second when Jasmine James walked and later scored on a Jenny Gary fielder’s choice and Michelle Harris singled and scored on a single by Blue.

Hazlehurst scored three times in the top of the third on an error, a triple by Sabra Hicks and a single by James.

&uot;They normally hit the ball pretty well,&uot; Banks said. &uot;They’re a very focused group.&uot;

While the Lady Indians were scoring runs in bunches, the Lady Bulldogs (3-9) had problems hitting the ball out of the outfield, which helped the visitors commit no errors and allow just the one hit.

&uot;That’s the worst game they’ve played all year,&uot; Williams said. &uot;One doggone hit.&uot;

Hazlehurst put the game away with seven runs in the top of the seventh, with Wilbert’s grand slam, inside-the-park to right field being the big hit of the inning.

&uot;That was her sixth or seventh (home run) of the season,&uot; Banks said. &uot;Franklin County pitcher around her. When she’s focused, she can hit the ball.&uot;