Tuesday's prep softball: Lady Indians no match for A-J
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Last year, Anna-Jonesboro's softball team reached the Elite Eight in Class 2A.
Tuesday on Denny Field at the Union County Fairgrounds, Du Quoin's Lady Indians were again reminded of just how potent the A-J squad can be.
With Rachel Hayden tossing a two-hitter and smacking two hits-including a home run-the Lady Wildcats romped to a short-game 11-1 victory over visiting Du Quoin.
Now 11-5 overall and 2-3 in Mississippi Division action of The River-to-River Conference, the Lady Tribe suffered its most lopsided loss of the year entering Friday's game at Sparta.
"We did not play well at all," Du Quoin coach Jason James said. "We have a lot of work to do. We are just not playing very good ball right now."
The Lady Indians actually scored first against A-J, taking a 1-0 lead in its first at bat.
Jessica Hirsch worked Hayden for a leadoff walk and then scored one out later on Cassidy Rice's double.
Hayden then touched Rice for a three-run blast in the A-J half of the frame and the hosts were ahead to stay.
Hirsch had Du Quoin's only other safety against Hayden, who fanned six and worked around seven walks and three hit batters.
Rice (5-3) gave eight hits and was saddled with the pitching loss.
"We have to learn how to get ourselves ready to play from the time we get there and be able to stay focused during the whole game," James added.