NATCHEZ — The Cathedral girls softball team opened its new home field Thursday night with an impressive 17-0 throttling of Loyd Star.

The game only lasted two and a half innings after the Green Wave put up 14 runs in the second inning to give them more than enough to win by the mercy rule.

“We are pleased to get this win on opening night,” Cathedral head coach Gary Blackwell said.

“The girls have been real excited about playing on the new field. It is great to have a new field, and the girls have their own locker room and they have never had that before.”

The Green Wave sent 19 batters to the plate in the second inning and each girl in the starting lineup scored at least once in the inning. Beth Fortenbery, Kimble Devening and Payton Monticello each scored twice and drove in three runs in the second.

Thirteen of the team’s 17 runs were either driven in or scored by Fortenbery or Devening.

“We have been working real hard on offense and it showed tonight,” Blackwell said.

Not to be outdone by her twin sister Kimble, Mollie Devening pitched three shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk to go along with four strikeouts.

Cathedral is off to a 3-1 start this season and will play again Friday in the Franklin County Tournament at Vicksburg High.

“We had a couple of big wins in Monroe (La.) and lost a tough one 9-8 (to Wesson),” Blackwell said.

“But these girls are focused on going a long way in the playoffs so we are focused on that.”