NATCHEZ — The Caldwell Parish High School softball team brought its bats to Vidalia Monday evening and used them very effectively to pound out 17 hits and force six Vidalia errors en route to a 13-6 win over the Lady Vikings.

Vidalia head coach Gary Parnham said he knew that Caldwell Parish had an effective offense that was going to put up runs, but it was Vidalia’s poor performance defensively was the difference.

“We didn’t play very well on defense,” Parnham said. “We gave them four, five, six maybe even seven runs with errors.”

Parnham said the Lady Vikings hit well themselves in the game, but they kept falling behind further and further each inning on defense.

“Our approach at the plate was good,” Parnham said. “We hit the ball well. But the extra outs we gave them kept digging us deeper, and we couldn’t come back.”

Vidalia racked up 10 hits in the game with Kelsee Partridge and Taylor Rodgers leading the way with two hits each. Both Partridge and Rodgers also doubled in the game.

Caldwell Parish scored two runs in each of the first two innings, but Vidalia was able to answer with a run in the bottom of the first and two runs in the bottom of the second to trail by just one going into the third inning.

Caldwell Parish tacked on one more in the third, but the Lady Vikings managed to get the game tied at five with a two-run fourth inning.

Caldwell Parish got the bats going again in the top of the fifth and scored two runs. Vidalia answered with one run in the bottom of the fifth, but Caldwell Parish put the game out of reach by plating three runs in each of the final two innings.

Laura Perilloux took the loss for the Lady Vikings. She went the full seven innings and gave up nine earned runs while striking out six Caldwell Parish batters.

The loss dropped Vidalia to 5-5 overall on the season and 0-1 in LHSAA District 3-3A.

Parnham said his team would have work to do in the field before they take the diamond again Thursday to face Marksville.

“Defensively we have to regroup,” he said. “We’re a young team and we have to play defense, because that’s what wins games.”

Parnham said this was the worst game Vidalia has played defensively this season, and the team has played solid defense in its previous contests.