Cascade's Emily Hale is tagged out at home by Forrest's Brianda Elmore. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

CHAPEL HILL -- When reading over a softball box score, you typically look for the number on the far left to be far greater than the one on the far right. If the inverse is true, then you've got problems.

Such was the case for Cascade as six errors contributed to their 7-0 District 9-A loss to powerhouse Forrest.

"If you make six errors in a ballgame, it's going to be tough to beat a mediocre team," Lady Champion coach Jeremy Austin said. "Chapel Hill, they're a good team, they put the ball in play for us to make plays that we should have been making but we made six errors and you can understand why it's 7-0."

Three singles by Heather James accounted for a healthy portion of the Lady Rockets' eight-hit attack, which compounded the issue with a flux of baserunners. Only two of their runs were earned.

"A couple earned runs, we still probably end up getting beat, but if we play good defense, we're still in it in the fifth, sixth or seventh inning," Austin said. "You're not ever going to beat a good team with six errors."

Leigha Carter was saddled with the loss on the bump for Cascade (5-3, 3-1 9-A). She walked two in seven innings pitched.

Carter singled with one down in the top of the second and courtesy runner Emily Hale advanced to third base after an error off the bat of Mary Jett. Laura Jett grounded one to Forrest first baseman Jessica Hunt, who fired home to teammate Brianda Elmore in time to get Hale and stave off the Lady Champs' best chance to plate a run.

Few teams ever get many chances to score on Forrest pitcher Shelby Stinnett. The sophomore right-hander settled in and finished with 11 strikeouts and didn't issue a walk.

Cascade did manage to make more contact versus Stinnett than in recent outings and look at that as a positive.

Shelby Stinnett struck out 11 for the Lady Rockets. (T-G Photo by Danny Parker) [Click to enlarge]

"Overall, down the line, we put the ball in play some," Austin said. "They were making contact, fouling the ball off. We had about five girls strikeout looking at the ball. There's not much you can do about that as far as swinging the bat but all in all, the girls putting the ball in play, I was happy with them."

Bequi Bussell doubled and singled for the Lady Rockets (8-1, 2-0).

The Lady Champs are off until Monday's home district contest versus Boyd Christian at 5, but they plan on using the gap to improve.

"We're going to work on hitting the ball, playing defense, work on all fundamentals and get back to the basics of things and see how we fare on Monday coming back. This ain't a setback, just a little bump in the road," Austin said.