NATCHEZ — Natchez High School baseball head coach Dan Smith knew, in order to beat Terry High School Saturday, his pitchers would have to throw a strong outing and his infield would have to play nearly flawless in the field.

The first inning did not start that way for the Bulldogs. Terry wounded Natchez for five runs in the first inning and Smith’s squad could not settle in, losing at home 16-4 in five innings.

Starting pitcher Travez Lyles walked three batters and allowed two hits in the first inning, and the Natchez defense committed an error to open the door for Terry to get an early lead.

“We did (play defense and throw strikes) to start off,” Smith said. “You can’t spot a team like that six runs.”

Five runs had crossed the plate for Terry before the first out came when Terry’s Chris Wilson tried to stretch a double into a triple. Natchez center fielder Shavoké Herrington fielded the ball in the gap and threw to cut-off man Jatavis Melton, who darted the ball to third baseman Jadarius Ivory for the out.

Lyles started behind in the count to nearly every Terry hitter he faced before he recorded three outs on the sixth, seventh and eighth hitters.

He managed to settle down and retire the side in order in the second, with Natchez down 5-1.

“He may not have been totally comfortable because he just came from the ACT,” Smith said. “If we played defense to start the game we would have been in good shape.”

Terry opened up the lead in the third inning for nine runs on seven hits, two walks and one error.

Natchez showed signs of life in the bottom of the third inning. Ernest Woods led off the inning for Natchez with a single and later scored on a fielder’s choice from Tydarius Terrell. With men on second and third, first baseman Darrick Lewis cleared the bases with a triple, cutting the deficit to 14-4.

Lyles bared down and retired the first two batters of the fourth inning and Dalvion Jackson caught Caleb Houston stealing for the third out after he took first on a walk.

But, the bats couldn’t ring enough for Natchez in the bottom of the fourth inning. Natchez managed to plate one run on an RBI single from Jadrius Ivory, but Terry pitcher Tyler Buckner fanned three batters in the inning to quell the Natchez rally.

Natchez recorded five hits and struck out five times against Terry.

The Bulldogs travel to Brookhaven Friday to play for the district title. Smith said the five days off will be a relief for the team, which he said has played often since spring break approximately one month ago.

“It will probably help us get our legs back,” Smith said. “Our pitchers can get good and rested.”

Smith said he hasn’t decided on the starting pitcher against Brookhaven. The last time Natchez went to Brookhaven, it suffered a 4-0 loss, but responded later that week with a resounding win at home.

“We didn’t play a complete game. We came back here and new we had a chance to beat them.”