NATCHEZ — Elizabeth Smith limited Noxapater to four hits and struck out seven in a complete-game performance and she hit a home run as the Cathedral Lady Green Wave defeated the Lady Tigers 13-3 in five innings Thursday afternoon in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 1A South State Playoffs Play-In Round.

With the exception of the top of the third inning, Smith was in control on the mound. Noxapater scored three runs off her in that frame, two of them on a triple by Kiera Phillips. All three of those runs were earned and Smith scattered three walks.

Cathedral, the No. 3 seed out of Region 7-1A, served notice that was not going to be taken lightly by Region 5-1A No. 2 seed Noxapater by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Lady Green Wave got one run back in the bottom of the third inning to go up 8-3 and they put the game out of reach with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Smith hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning to end the game early. In addition to her solid outing on the mound, she also went 2-for-4. Caroline Kaiser went 2-for-2 with three runs batted in while McKenzie Milligan went 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBIs and Baylee Graning was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Cathedral (6-9) plays at Noxapater 4:30 p.m. today for Game 2 of the best-of-three series. Game 3, if necessary, will take place after the completion of Game 2.