NATCHEZ — The Cathedral School softball team decided to save its easiest inning for the seventh Saturday in the first round of the MHSAA Class 1A playoffs.

After a back-and-forth game where Cathedral narrowly avoided giving up its late-inning lead, opponent West Lincoln was looking to make some noise in the top of the seventh.

Cathedral led just 6-4, and West Lincoln had put runners on base almost every inning up to that point. But Lady Green Wave pitcher Mollie Devening buckled down and got three quick outs, allowing Cathedral to move on to the second round of the playoffs.

“It was a battle, and we knew it would be,” Cathedral coach Gary Blackwell said.

“They’re on the rebuilding side of things, but they’re in the playoffs, and they always play tough in the playoffs. They were hitting the ball really well.”

The Lady Bears finished the game with eight hits and one error. Cathedral tallied nine hits and one error.

Cathedral trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the third inning, but the Lady Green Wave finally came through with some timely hitting to take a 3-2 lead.

With Shannon Mire on third and McKenzie Milligan on second, Kim choice at first that scored Mire for Cathedral. Ginny Daggett then laced an inside-the-park home run that scored Milligan.

Daggett came through again for Cathedral in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run single that plated Kimble Devening and Milligan, making it 5-2 Lady Green Wave.

But the Lady Bears made things interesting in the top of the sixth. Malori Hall hit a home run over the center field wall that cut the lead to 5-3.

Later in the inning, a throwing error by third baseman Payton Monticello allowed Brianna Fauvre to reach first, scoring Layton Sills and making it 5-4 Cathedral. The throw went into right field, and Alli Mullins was on her way home as well, hoping to tie the game.

But Cathedral right fielder Laura Ellett made a fantastic throw to Kimble Devening at catcher, who blocked home plate and tagged Mullins out, preserving Cathedral’s lead.

“That was a great play,” Blackwell said. “It was definitely a game-saver. (Ellett) was on top of it, and it was definitely a perfect throw.

“Kimble was in the right place. She’s been playing the position for years, so she knows what to do and when to do it.”

Cathedral added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a fielder’s choice by Milligan that scored Sallie Stout.

Daggett finished 3-for-3 for the Lady Green Wave, and Milligan was 2-for-4. Beth Fortenbery had a double.

Cathedral improved to 20-9-1 on the season. The Lady Green Wave will play in the second round of the postseason Thursday and Saturday.