Lexington played a slow-pitch softball game for the first time in two years Monday night, and nerves got the best of the Lady Bulldogs in a 15-1 loss to Class 5A No. 2 Tecumseh.

Coach Kallie McMahan chalked it up to “first-game jitters.”

“The score doesn’t show what I saw,” McMahan told The Register. “They played well. It wasn’t like they were just running us off the field.

“Slow pitch is meant to be high scoring; you just have to be able to answer, and we just didn’t hit very well.”

McMahan said the lopsided game — called after four innings — doesn’t tell the whole story.

“Everyone did their job,” she said. “Merabelle Neilson pitched for us tonight and she pitched very well. Briley Lacqument made some plays at third. Brodie Anderson made some plays at shortstop. The outfield was great.”

Gracie White and Charlie Ross accounted for the Lady Bulldogs’ only two hits, both singles. Ross knocked in Hannah Garrett with Lexington’s only run in the third inning.

Prior to Monday night’s game, Tecumseh had played nine games and won eight.

Lexington, which competes in Class 3A for sports like football and basketball, plays a 5A slow-pitch softball schedule.

The Lady Bulldogs were supposed to start their season two weeks ago, but their opponent didn’t have enough players.

“First-game jitters are very real,” McMahan said. “The nerves, the adrenaline, the overthinking. But it’s when you push through them and continue to do your job that it shows true composure.

“Losses are part of the game; no one improves without them. What truly matters is how you respond, and I’m hopeful that their response will show tomorrow.”

Lexington was scheduled to play Washington and Little Axe at Washington on Tuesday, March 24.

“We just have to find our groove,” McMahan said. “It may take a couple of games, but we’ll figure it out and they’ll be just fine.