Coach Brandy Jackson’s Bainbridge High School junior varsity Lady Cats softball team split four games Saturday and finished second in the Cairo High School Syrupmaids junior varsity invitational tournament.

They opened play with a 7-6 victory over the Miller County High School junior varsity Lady Pirates.

The Lady Cats grabbed the lead early, rallying for four runs in the first inning to go up 4-0. Leadoff hitter Jada Smith was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second. She went to third on an error and came in on an error.

The next two batters, shortstop Kem Green and catcher Morgan Powell, were also hit by pitches. After pitcher Courtney Cooper flied out for the first out, center fielder Caitlin Cato doubled, driving in Green and Powell with the second and third runs of the inning.

Left fielder Carolina Crowder doubled in Cato with the inning’s final run. Crowder was forced at second for the third out when second baseman Shandreca Reed grounded hard to third.

The Lady Pirates came up with four runs of their own in the top of the second to pull even 4-4. The Lady Cats scored two more in the third to go up 6-4 and continued to pull away.

Green singled to open the third, went to second on an error, moved to third on a wild pitch and came in on a single by Powell. Powell stole second and third and came in on an error.

In their second tournament game, the Lady Cats bowed 9-1 to the eventual champion Colquitt County High School junior varsity Lady Packers.

They scored their run in the fifth inning. Pitcher Cato opened the inning with a single, moved to second when shortstop Kem Green grounded out from short to first and came in on a clutch two-out single by third baseman Crowder.

The Lady Cats bounced back in their third game to defeat the Cairo High School junior varsity Syrupmaids 8-6. The big scoring inning for the Lady Cats was the sixth when they rallied for four. Pitcher Courtney Cooper and second baseman Shandreca Reed both singled and scored in the inning.

The Lady Cats completed tournament play with a second match with Thomasville. This time they lost to them 5-3.

The Lady Cats scored all three of their runs in the fourth inning. Consecutive singles by shortstop Green, second baseman Morgan Powell and right fielder Carolina Crowder produced the first run.

Second baseman Reed singled in Powell and Crowder, who both moved up on wild pitches.