NATCHEZ — Offense took a backseat to stout defense and strong pitching Saturday morning when the Vidalia Nationals defeated Natchez 3-1.

In the first game of a 10- through 12-year-old softball district tournament, Vidalia pitcher Jaden Boydstun and Natchez pitchers Addison Jackson and Rebecca Ratcliff overpowered batters with strikes and offered ground balls for their defenses to make plays behind them. In the top of the first, Boydstun walked the first two batters and loaded the bases with one out. Boydstun didn’t panic, though, regaining control and getting a grounder and strikeout to end the inning.

“This is the first game we’ve really played as a team, so she was probably a little nervous,” Vidalia coach Jana Smith said. “But we’re always able to put it back together.”

Boydstun went on to pitch a complete game, surrendering only one run and striking out eight through six innings pitched.

Oddly enough, Jackson started her pitching performance with back-to-back walks also, before regaining her command and allowing only one run in the first two innings. That run came off of an RBI single by Saige Smith in the first inning, which scored Boydstun.

“Unlike in the past, our pitching has come a long way,” Natchez coach Eric Jackson said. “But you saw that on both sides today. It’s hard to put the ball in play when you’ve got good pitching.”

Vidalia added two more runs in the third inning after Rylee Dunn singled and Maddie Shows was hit by a pitch. With both runners on, Boydstun lined a double in left-centerfield scoring Dunn and Shows.

“I’ve been wanting a hit like that from her all season,” Smith said. “It definitely changed the game.”

Natchez threatened in the fourth when Brooke Collier reached on a walk. Ratcliff stepped to the plate and lined a shot at second base, but Saige Smith made the catch and threw back over to first for the double play. Jana celebrated, as her daughter made one of the biggest plays of the game.

“I was very proud,” she said.

Abby Fielder lined a single following the play and scored off of a Jackson single.

“At the end, you saw the bats come alive,” Jackson said. “Our girls have practiced against our pitchers, and that’s all I’ve seen, so I want to see our batters against these really good pitchers from Vidalia.”

Natchez All-Star Ava Reese had two singles in the loss.

Jesse White secured the win for Vidalia in the top of the sixth with one out when she made a catch in left field and completed the double play by throwing over to second.