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Opp defended its home field and won a low-scoring rivalry battle against Andalusia, 4-1, in varsity softball action Monday, March 20.

The Lady Bobcats moved to 14-6 with the win, while the Lady Bulldogs fell to 5-11 on the season.

Both starting pitchers worked fast in the first inning and did not allow any base runners. Reese Cauley needed only 11 pitches and struck out two in the top half. Mollie Furr also recorded a pair of strikeouts on 13 pitches. Cauley then worked a 1-2-3 visiting second as Furr worked around a two-out walk to Rylie Kate Thrash. The game remained scoreless with two innings complete. Cauley struck out the side in the top of the third. Jaidyn Ivey earned a one-out single in the bottom half and stole second. Ivey reached third on a groundout, but Furr kept the contest scoreless.

Furr began the fourth with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Olivia Cravey. Kailey Jackson reached on an error and brought home Furr with the first run for AHS. Jessa Ann Dubose followed with a double before Cauley struck out McKenzie Burrow and left the game 1-0. OHS responded in the bottom half and grabbed a 2-1 lead. Caroline Courson reached on a one-out miscue, and Addison Moseley walked. Thrash loaded the bases with a single before Haylei Henagan delivered a clutch two-run single and scored Courson and Moseley. Furr ended the threat with a double play.

Neither side scored in the fifth as both pitchers earned two strikeouts. Cauley opened the bottom of the sixth with a single as Courson walked. Moseley sacrificed both runners into scoring position, and Thrash loaded the bases with a walk. Henagan then grounded out to second, but Cauley scored for a 3-1 lead. Madeline Wilson cashed in Courson with an RBI double and stretched the margin to 4-1 after six. Jackson reached on a dropped third strike in the top of the seventh and swiped second before a groundout closed the game.

Henegan went 1-for-3 with a single and three RBIs for the Lady Bobcats. Cauley was the winning pitcher with one unearned run on two hits in four innings and struck out eight. Courson did not give up any runs or hits and earned seven strikeouts in a three-inning save. Dubose and Furr each paced the Lady Bulldogs at the plate at 1-for-3. Furr gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and struck out two in 5 2/3 innings. Jackson pitched the final 1/3 inning in relief.

Both teams return to action Thursday, March 23. Andalusia visits Luverne for a single varsity game at 4:30 p.m. Opp hosts Straughn for a JV/varsity doubleheader beginning at the same time.