A three-run third inning for West Feliciana High School proved to be the difference Wednesday as Vidalia fell at home 4-1.

Vidalia didn’t help itself in the rally as it walked and hit a batter in addition to committing a fielding error that helped spark the spurt.

“We walked a couple that inning, then they got a couple of hits and that did it,” VHS coach Forrest Foster said. “It was a good ball game. Both pitchers did a good job.”

The Lady Vikings (5-5) scored their run in the bottom of the third after Macie Seyfarth crossed home plate. Seyfarth reached base after getting hit by a pitch, then found second after escaping a run-down.

Vidalia had its chances in other innings, leaving runners on base in each of the second, third, fourth and sixth innings.

“We couldn’t get the bunt down the third base line,” Foster said. “We saw early on that they had a hard time making that play. But we ended up bunting the ball to the pitcher (Kennedy Carruth), who may be the best athlete on the field. We just bunted the ball in the wrong spot.”

Along with her strong fielding ability, Carruth managed to extinguish any threat with her power pitching as she struck out 12 VHS batters.

“I played against her when she was in eighth grade (at Silliman Institute) when I was in private school ball,” Foster said. “I knew she was a rise ball pitcher. I told our girls last night that they need to start focusing and be disciplined in laying off that pitch, and we couldn’t.”

West Feliciana scored a run in the second before its three-run rally, but VHS pitcher Sara Cockerham gave her team a chance by blanking the Lady Saints the rest of the way. Cockerham finished with two strikes in tossing seven strong innings.

“I thought Sara Cockerham did a real good job of keeping them off balance,” Foster said. “We made a few good defensive plays, and overall I was pleased with them.”

The game was Vidalia’s second in as many days, and the Lady Vikings will play again today and Friday. Vidalia is set to travel to Marksville for a district contest before returning home Friday to host Avoyelles for its third district contest of the week.

“We knew we had a busy week, but that’s OK,” Foster said. “The more you play, the better you get.”