NATCHEZ — Starter Mollie Devening was perfect through four innings and the Cathedral High School bats came alive in a 12-0 shutout against Enterprise High School Tuesday.

Devening went four innings and struck out four Enterprise batters to secure the win. Her bid for a seven-inning perfect game was cut short by her team’s offense forcing the 12-runs-after-four mercy rule.

“What can you say, it was a perfect game,” head coach Gary Blackwell said. “She’s really been throwing well the last four games, and if we can keep her throwing like this — and our defense stays tough — we’re going to be alright.”

Blackwell said his go-to starter has been hot for four games now, and he said Devening’s mental approach is what’s allowed her to step up as of late.

“She’s that type of person and that type of player,” Blackwell said. “She knows she had to pick it up. She got back in her game, and she’s in a groove right now for sure.”

Cathedral scored three runs in the bottom of the first, with Kimble Devening coming home first on an errant throw. A bunt single by Elizabeth Smith scored Mackenzie Watts from third, and Tori Edwards scored on a single by Laura Ellett.

A three-run home run by Mollie in the bottom of the second put Cathedral ahead 6-0, and Cathedral added a run on a sacrifice fly by Abby Brown in the bottom of the third inning.

The Lady Green Wave closed the door in the bottom of the fourth when Mollie singled in Watts and Brown singled in two more runs. McKenzie Milligan hit a walkoff single that scored the Lady Green Wave’s final two runs.

Blackwell said he’s happy to see his team have an offensive showing right before Thursday’s playoff game against Noxapater High School.

“We’ve been talking about being more aggressive on the bases, which tonight we were,” he said. “Everybody was paying attention and trying to get every extra base we can get, and that’s what we have to do in the playoffs.”

Cathedral (12-7) will be watching a weather system Thursday that has the potential to bring severe weather to the area. Game 1 of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1A playoffs is tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday at Cathedral. If there’s a rainout, the game will be played at 6 p.m. Friday at Cathedral.

Monterey 18,

Lafayette Christian 5

MONTEREY — Paige Bryan pitched five solid innings and Bailey New went 3-for-3 with two doubles in leading the Monterey Lady Wolves to an 18-5 win over the Lafayette Christian Lady Knights in five innings Tuesday afternoon in the bi-district round of the LHSAA Class B Playoffs.

Bryan gave up five runs, three of them earned, on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts. The only inning in which she got in any trouble was the top of the fourth inning. That’s when Lafayette Christian scored all five of its runs.

Unfortunately for the Lady Knights, they were already trailing 13-0 heading into that inning. And the No. 6 seed Lady Wolves got those five runs right back in the bottom of the fourth and Bryan pitched a scoreless frame in the top of the fifth to enact the 10-runs-after-five-innings mercy rule.

Madi Martin was charged with the loss for No. 27 seed Lafayette Christian after giving up 11 runs on eight hits and six walks with just two strikeouts in two-plus innings.

Karlee Woodruff went 2-for-3 with a double, Ashley Wilson and Jody Duncan each had a double, and Ashley Blake was 2-for-2 for the Lady Wolves

Monterey (17-10) plays host to No. 11 seed Quitman in the regional round at 4 p.m. Friday. Quitman escaped with a 1-0 win over No. 22 seed Avoyelles Charter.