NATCHEZ — With momentum bouncing back and forth between Adams County Christian School and Cathedral High School, Cathedral’s Baylee Granning stepped inside the batter’s box in the sixth inning with two outs and one runner on third.

Nervous at the plate in a tie-ball game situation, Granning stepped in, made contact and ran as fast as she could to first base as her ground ball slipped through the infield and into the outfield, scoring what would be the winning run in the contest.

“Baylee is the type of player that knows she has to do it, and she’s going to come through,” Cathedral head coach Gary Blackwell said. “She knew she had to get that run in.”

The top of the sixth saw ACCS come back from 2-0 and tie the game on an error the infield, which scored Brianna Henson and Savannah Spear. ACCS head coach Rick Fife was glad to see his team regain composure and get back into the ballgame, but he knew twists and turns were far from over in the 3-2 contest.

“I thought we lost our focus earlier in the game, but later in the game, I felt like we regained it,” Fife said. “It was a game of waves, literally.”

Trying to regain the momentum in the seventh inning, Lexi Emmanuel stepped up to the plate for the Lady Rebels with nobody on and no outs. Emmanuel ripped a shot, but Cathedral centerfielder Caroline Kaiser made an adjustment in the outfield before making a sliding catch, robbing Emmanuel of a hit.

“I thought it was a no doubter,” Fife said. “With her speed, I thought it was going to be a triple. That pretty much took the air out of us at that point.”

Blackwell said Kaiser’s play was the play of the game.

“That was a game-winning catch,” Blackwell said. “Mackenzie Watts was great for us in that spot last year, but that play right there was up there with the catches (Mackenzie) made.”

Elizabeth Smith recorded the victory for Cathedral, allowing only three hits and striking out six in seven innings pitched.

Granning and Haleigh Nunnery each recorded multiple hits in the win, while Emmanuel recorded a double for ACCS. Cathedral’s Emily Rasco also had a double in the win.

Blackwell said Cathedral’s Marty Lewis would be lost for the year after she had a floating bone and cartilage surgically repaired in her foot Tuesday.

For (5-6) Cathedral, the game marked a 2-0 district start, while (8-11) ACCS suffered its sixth loss by one run this season.

“It’s a game-by-game thing,” Fife said. “It’s taxing on me, as well as the girls, losing these one-run games.”

Cathedral and ACCS will rematch Tuesday, with Cathedral making the trek across town to play the Lady Rebels.

ACCS falls to 2-4 in district play following the loss.