Trailing 4-0 early in the game, the Lady Cardinals smashed three solo home runs and used a two-out seventh inning single to earn a 5-4 season opening win over the Nevada Tigers.

Peyton Hawkins got the Cardinals on the board with a blast to left in the bottom of the third.  Morgan Brannon then cut the lead in half with a solo home run to open the bottom of the  fifth inning.  Shelby Gardner reached on an error and Hawkins chased her home with a triple down the left field line to cut the Tiger lead to 4-3 after five innings.  

Kaylyn Gilbert tied it with a her opposite field home run to start the sixth.  

In the bottom of the seventh, Gardner singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  With two outs, Emma Welch delivered the game winning single, scoring Gardner and earning the 5-4 home opening win.  

Gardner and Hawkins each finished with two hits apiece to lead the offense.  

Laney Taylor threw all seven innings to earn the win.  After surrendering the early four runs to the Tigers, she settled in and only allowed one more hit the rest of the game.  She finished with six strikeouts and only issued three walks in her varsity debut.

The Lady Cardinals will host Monett on Thursday.