For the division-leading Natchez High Bulldogs, the best defense has been a good offense this season.

Despite troubles on the mound and in the field at times this season, the Bulldogs (9-6, 3-0 in division play) are off to a good start with strong hitting.

The latest figures available from late last week have Natchez High hitting .414 as a team and averaging 10 runs per game.

“Things are looking real good right now,” senior pitcher Cameron Logan said.

Senior pitcher and shortstop Edward Johnson said the strong hitting has come from plenty of hours of work in the batting cage.

“We really work hard at it,” he said. “Almost all we do is hit.”

While the Bulldogs have managed to compensate for their defensive and pitching problems with strong hitting, head coach Charlie Williams said those phases of the game would have to improve if the Bulldogs are to make a run in the playoffs this year.

“We’re in the catbird seat as far as district goes,” Williams said. “That was the goal from day one. But we knew we’d be in contention for district. We’ve got to start focusing on some of these other games, too.

“We’re going to have to get better. The hitting’s been good but it’s not where we want it to be. The defense needs to do a better job. The main thing is staying focused. It’s time to start thinking about the playoffs. If we don’t start playing better we’re going to be one and done.”

Several senior Bulldogs said the key to getting where they wanted to go would be continuing to make the effort to get better in practice.

“We’ve just got to keep working hard,” senior third baseman and pitcher Johnny Williams said. “We’re getting some of the young guys in at pitcher. A lot of the pitchers are coming along and starting to throw strikes. We need to keep hitting in the cage.”

“It seems like the pitching is coming around,” Logan said. “We’ve just got to be more consistent.”

Leftfielder Desmond Smoot said he felt things were coming together as the season hits its midway point.

“We’re doing good,” he said. “The defense is playing a lot better. It’s just going to be hard work. We’ve got to keep working hard.”

Catcher Marcus Hargrave, who has worked with the ups and downs of the pitching staff all season, said the difference would come if the pitching staff can relax.

“I just tell them to quit trying so hard,” he said. “Get the ball down there. You’ve got the defense behind you.”

Charlie Williams said the Bulldogs would find out a lot about themselves in the coming days.

“We’ve got Wingfield Friday night,” he said. “We’re going up there and I’m going to start a seventh-grader, I’m kind of looking ahead at regrouping my staff for next year. We’ve got a tough one coming up next week at Lawrence County. You know you’re going to have to come to play every time you go up there.”

The Bulldog seniors said they would not be denied in bringing home a district title.

“We want to get past district,” Hargrave said. “We came in second last year. We want to make it past there and make a run in the playoffs.”

And Johnson said the Bulldogs have the ability to do much more than that if all three phases of the game come together over the rest of the season.

“We’ll be unbeatable (if that happens),” he said. “There’s no one that can beat us if we’re playing together as a team.”