The Mathews High School varsity softball team suffered its first loss of the season at the hands of the King William Cavaliers last Thursday, 3-2.

King William took an early lead and maintained control for most of the game. Mathews gave up three hits and committed a throwing error allowing one Cavalier runner to cross the plate in the first inning. Two singles, a Mathews fielding error, and a base on balls resulted in a second King William run in the fourth inning. In the fifth, a single, a walk, and another Mathews fielding error brought the third and final Cavalier run home.

All the while, the Lady Devils had been quiet offensively, scattering just three hits over the first five innings and never posing a threat on the base paths. With two outs in the top of the sixth, they turned the tide for a moment. Lexie Miles and Madison South hit back-to-back home runs, pulling Mathews to within a run. After a King William pitching change, Andie Schlosshan singled to keep the momentum going and hope alive for Mathews. The next Devil batter went down on strikes, however, to end the inning.

In the Lady Devils’ final at bat, Madisyn Jackson drew a leadoff walk for MHS and Josey Bauby laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her to second, but, a fly out and a popup followed to end the game.

South pitched the first three and a third innings for Mathews. She allowed six hits and no walks while striking out four batters. Jackson pitched the final two and two thirds innings, allowing two hits and three walks.

The Lady Devils had six hits. In addition to the aforementioned, Keely Crittenden, Savanna Wooten and Emily Sorey each added a single.

Mathews hosts Charles City tonight at 5 in its first Conference 42 contest. The Lady Devils travel to Warhill on Monday (4:30 p.m.) and West Point on Tuesday (5 p.m.) before returning home next Thursday, April 28, to host Middlesex in a 6 p.m. contest.