In a cross-county showdown between the Pinecrest and North Moore softball teams, the Lady Patriots used five hits and several Lady Mustang miscues for a six-run sixth inning to break open a tight contest for a 7-1 victory.

The game played in Robbins Wednesday was Pinecrest’s season opener, while the host Mustangs opened their season with an 11-1 victory over Yadkin Valley Conference foe Albemarle the day before.

The Mustangs were their own worst enemy, committing 10 errors during the contest.

“Our pitcher (Ashely Davis) did a good job pitching,” said Mustang coach Sammy McNeill, who returned to coach the Mustangs after taking a year off. “I told my players they weren’t very good teammates and we let our pitcher down. I told them it was an embarrassment for me and the team. They gave us a good old butt-whipping.”

Pinecrest sophomore pitcher Bobbie McDaniel shut down North Moore bats, retiring the first 10 Mustang batters. McDaniel gave up only three hits while striking out four batters and giving up four walks. Davis finished with a pair of strikeouts and walked two batters.

Winning coach Jessica Grooms said, “Our pitcher did a great job. We tried to be aggressive and take advantage of the other team’s mistakes. It was a good way to open the season for our young squad.”

The Mustangs’ troubles started in the top of the first inning when they committed four errors, but the Patriots managed to score only one run. The Patriots threatened again in the second inning when Kaylin Fipps reached second base and later Lindsay Parkin hit a blooper into short right field just out of reach of Mustang fielder Gwen Steslicke, who scooped up the ball on the first bounce and fired to home play to nail the runner for the third out.

North Moore tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning when Heather Dunmyer reached base and moved to third base on a throwing error when she tried to steal second base. Dunmyer scored when Jessie Sheffield hit a hard liner to Patriot third baseman Rae Nunez, who chose to go to first base for the out.

The Patriots exploded for six runs in their half of the sixth inning, collecting five hits, two by senior Destani Baker, who led off with a double into left field. Later in the inning she had an RBI single. Nunez, McDaniel and Parkin had RBI singles, along with Anna Bridgman drawing a bases-loaded walk.

With the 7-1 lead, McDaniel gave up only two hits in the Mustangs’ final two at-bats. The Mustangs’ Andrea Brower had a double in the sixth inning and Holly Martindale added a single in the seventh for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs entertain conference foe Chatham Central Friday while Pinecrest hosts Southern Lee.