Due to the crazy weather the last several weeks, local teams have had a tough time getting on the field for softball practices and games, but it’s likely nobody had seen the field less than Southside prior to Tuesday.

The Panthers hadn’t even played a game when they took the field to face county rival Selma. The lack of practice time showed.Selma (5-2) rolled past Southside (0-1) 22-5 in the first game of a doubleheader and kept the momentum going with a 21-0 victory in game two.

“Nobody wants to lose against their rival so we had the big discussion and all week we were going back and forth,” said Selma head coach Jameriah Johnson. “They wanted to beat us and they were going to beat us. I think that got in the girls’ heads and they brought out a better effort.”

The Panthers actually scored first in game one, as Dajah Thrash walks led to a 2-0 Southside lead, but it wouldn’t hold. Selma took advantage of erratic pitching from Southside’s Jamesha Baker, who struggled to find the strike zone most of the evening.

The Saints scored eight times in the first inning and the majority of the runs came off of wild pitches and balls that got past Southside catcher Kendra Hudson. Doubles by Alashya Thomas and Jacquetta Dailey also keyed the run.

Thomas’ double to center field was the first hit of the game and interrupted what had been a game slowed by walks from both pitchers.

“She is a very sound hitter and I can say she does work outside of practice,” Johnson said of Thomas.

“She goes to the batting cage and we are working trying to get that from all the players. She’s a powerful hitter. We have her at cleanup for a reason.”

Even after Selma’s big inning, Southside wasn’t done. The Panthers cut the gap to 8-5 in the second and had the bases loaded with two outs threatening to get closer. Thrash regained her footing and forced Jakeria Young to ground out to end the inning.

Aided by two bunts for hits by Thrash and an Irishia Moore RBI single, Selma exploded for 17 runs in the second inning.

With a big cushion, Thrash put the game away in the top of the third. She struck out Roshonda Woods and Destiny Davis and forced Alexis Davis to fly out to end the game.

“We had a lot of mental mistakes and they weren’t really focused on what they were doing,” said Southside coach Timothy Moorer. “Throwing errors, just basic stuff that we have to go back and improve on. “

In the second game, Trenda Simpson had three strikeouts and shut down the Southside offense.

Fatima Ford had a double, single and 3 RBIs to lead the Selma offense. Keshaundra Crusoe also added a double, single and 2 RBIs for the Saints.

Dailey continued her good day at the plate with a triple in the second contest.

Both contests were called after the third inning due to the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 15-run forfeit rule.