In last weekend’s Cherokee County tournament, the Spring Garden Panthers defeated Cedar Bluff and Gaylesville but lost twice to tournament champion Cherokee County and finished second.

The Panthers defeated host school Cedar Bluff in their opening game of the tournament Friday, also their first game of the season.

Heather Smart scored Spring Garden’s first run in the third inning when she drew a two-out walk, stole second base and scored on a base hit by Tara Mullinax.

In the fourth, Ivy Franklin singled and Ashley Payne drove her home with another single. Jordan Sides opened the fifth with a walk and stole second. With two out, pitcher Bree Blevins drove an RBI single to left field.

Blevins pitched six innings and fanned 14 Tigers. She gave up four hits and walked two batters.

Saturday, Cherokee County won the morning game 4-0, scoring four times in the fifth inning. Mullinax and Sides had Spring Garden’s two hits. Blevins struck out nine and walked three.

To get back to the championship game, Spring Garden bested Gaylesville 8-1.

The Panthers got two runs in the first, three in the second, two in the third and one in the sixth.

Blevins had five strikeouts in five shutout innings. Hayden Bates pitched the final two innings and struck out one.

Smart hit the first two home runs of her career in the second and third innings, clearing the centerfield fence each time. Sides had three hits, drove in two runs and scored twice. Mullinax also had three hits and scored twice.

Payne had two hits. Blevins, Brianna Messer and Callie Thompson also drove in runs.

The Panthers got an early 1-0 lead against Cherokee County in their second game. Smart walked and scored on a two-out double by Blevins.

In the fourth, Mullinax and Blevins each drew walks and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Messer’s single sent Mullinax home.

Cherokee County countered with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Blevins struck out five and walked three in six innings.

Monday, Spring Garden absorbed a 15-3, five-inning pounding at Saks.

“That game, we just lost a little pride there. The games that matter are our area games,” coach Ann Welsh said she told her players following the Saks game.

The Panthers got one run in the fourth and two in the fifth.

Franklin, Smart and Elizabeth Spoon scored. Smart had a triple, Sides a double and Payne and Spoon a single each for Spring Garden’s hits.

Blevins struck out five but walked six.

Welsh said her team was out of sync from the beginning.

She was forced to shift Sides from center field to catcher when Mullinax, the regular catcher, was unable to play because of illness.

“After the tournament, I would have said we were ahead of where we need to be,” Welsh said. “After (Monday), I don’t know if I’d say that.”