NATCHEZ — The Cathedral fast-pitch softball team continues its roll through the MHSAA Class 1A playoffs today, but the competition is getting steeper.

The Lady Green Wave travel to play Stringer High, the No. 1 team in Region 7-1A, in two games today starting at 2 p.m.

“They won their district, and they’re a good team,” Cathedral coach Gary Blackwell said of the Red Devils. “We’re going to have to be playing our best game. If we play like we’re capable of playing, we can get them.”

While Cathedral, the No. 2 team in Region 8, has not yet faced the Lady Devils this season, Blackwell knows a little bit about the opponent.

He said they’re a bit older than the Edinburg team Cathedral defeated 11-1, 7-3 this past weekend.

“Their pitcher is a junior, and she’s their No. 1 hitter. There may be a couple seniors on their team,” Blackwell said. “They supposedly have a pretty good pitcher — she can pretty much throw what she wants to throw.”

Blackwell said in preparation for a strong circle performance, the Lady Wave have been working on hitting all week.

“We’ll be going up against a good pitcher, but we’ve been doing that all year long,” he said. “But mainly we’re concentrating on our hitting because our defense has really been working good lately.”

The second round of the playoffs is actually a three-game set, but the first two games are played at the higher seed’s site.

If the first two games are split, the third game will be played Tuesday at Cathedral, the lower seed.