FERRIDAY — Both Ferriday softball tournament teams stumbled out of the gates in the opening round of their respective state tournaments Saturday morning, as the Gators fell to defending world champion Alexandria 4-1 and the Fear lost to Pine Prairie 8-7.

The individual contests were polar opposites.

In the 17- and 18-year-old tournament, a rematch from last year’s World Series finals commenced between the Gators and Alexandria. The two teams engaged in a pitcher’s duel before Alexandria pulled away in the sixth inning.

“We were tied going into the sixth inning when they put three runs on the board and went up 4-1,” said head coach Rut Horne. “Paige Bryan pitched well and limited them to just four hits, but it just so happened that they got three hits back-to-back-to-back in that inning.”

The Gators were stymied offensively, striking out 11 times and failing to produce runs after scoring one run in the first inning.

Marty Lewis hit a double in the second at-bat of the game and scored after an RBI single by Micahla Hughes.

The Gators will turn around and play at 9:30 a.m. today, and should they win, they’ll play again at 5:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, a defensive meltdown led to the Fear’s opening round defeat.

Seven errors committed by the Fear frustrated head coach Jeannie Beach.

“I just don’t think we were aggressive enough on defense,” Beach said. “Haley Sharp pitched a great game and Bailey Book relieved her in the fourth inning and did well too. It was just our defense.”

In relief, Book gave up one hit and recorded four strikeouts. Despite a valiant effort and coming within one run in the fifth inning, a six-run third inning that put the team behind 7-1 early proved to be the team’s downfall.

Darby Beach, Book and Macy Thornton each recorded a single.

The Fear get a chance to redeem their performance at 11 a.m. this morning.