GULF SHORES, Ala. — The Cathedral Lady Green Wave hung tough with a team in a much higher classification from another state in its first game at the 2012 Gulf Coast Classic I softball tournament.

However, Cathedral was unable to produce any offense in a hard-fought 2-0 loss Tuesday afternoon to the Class 6A Hillcrest Lady Patriots from Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Hillcrest scored both of its runs in the bottom of the first inning to give starting and winning pitcher Karley Sanders all the run support she would need. Sanders held the Lady Green Wave to just three hits.

“We played very well against Hillcrest. It was two unearned runs in the first inning. We played a complete game after that first inning,” Cathedral head coach Gary Blackwell said. “Our outfielders made some outstanding catches that kept us in the game. I was very proud of them.”

Even though Mollie Devening was charged with the loss, she did quite well on the mound herself by limiting Hillcrest to only four hits. But three Cathedral errors allowed the Lady Patriots to take that early lead.

Ginny Daggett went 2-for-3 with a double for the Lady Green Wave. The Lady Patriots were led at the plate by Bree Farnis, who was 2-for-2.

Cathedral’s second game of the afternoon did not last as long as the Lady Green Wave fell to the Sumrall Lady Bobcats 10-0 in just four innings.

Shelly Perry got the win on the mound for Sumrall by allowing just three hits and she went 3-for-3 at the plate. As a team, the Lady Bobcats had 13 hits – all of them singles.

“We didn’t play a very good game against Sumrall. Ginny started out pitching and was called for some illegal pitching. She wasn’t able to get her rhythm going after that,” Blackwell said.

The Lady Green Wave was led at the plate by Beth Fortenbery, who went 2-for-2, while Daggett had a double.

Cathedral (4-3-1) will next take on Pope John Paul (Ala.) today at 8 a.m. before being seeded for the single-elimination tournament.

Monterey 10, Rapides 0

MONTEREY — Monterey senior Ellen Bairnsfather pitched a no-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks as the Lady Wolves took care of the Rapides Lady Mustangs in four innings Tuesday afternoon for their first win in LHSAA District 4-B.

Rapides’ only base runner got on by way of an error. That’s how close Bairnsfather was to throwing a perfect game – albeit in a run-ruled game.

“She was just solid on the mound. She did a good job,” Monterey head coach Hazel Brallier said.

Monterey had just four hits in the game, but the Lady Wolves took advantage of eight errors made by the Lady Mustangs. They scored three runs in both the bottom of the first and second innings to take a 6-0 lead before ending the game early with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

“We were patient at the plate. We only hit good pitches. We did an excellent job running the bases,” Brallier said.

Bailey New had a double for the Lady Wolves while Karlee Woodruff had a single and three runs batted in. Baler Smith had a single with one RBI and Ashley Blake had a single.

Monterey (4-7, 1-1) plays at Oak Hill Thursday at 5 p.m.