The Andalusia Lady Bulldogs got the season started strong with 7-6 win over Kinston in Andalusia.

Kinston jumped out front in the first inning after scoring on a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice.

Haley Harper led off the bottom of the first inning by drawing a walk and then moved up to second on a sacrifice from Olivia Amerson.

Harper then advanced to third base on a wild pitch before Millicent Manring drove her in with an RBI single back to the mound.

Manring was then pushed around to third base on single by Merikal McCaskill with one out in the top of the first.

Zaria Jones then hit a hard ground ball to second that resulted in an out at first base, but Manring was able to come across to tie the game.

Sydney Ray got rolling on the mound in the second inning. Ray struck out the first Kinston batter, got the next to pop up right back to her and then struck out the third batter looking.

Mary Katherine Salter came in as a relief pitcher for Ray in the top of third inning.

After an error and walk led to a two-run double for Kinston, Salter settled in and blew three-straight strikes passed the next batter. Salter walked the next batter, but as the player attempted to steal second, Manring rifled the ball from her catcher position and hosed the would-be base thief.

Salter retired the side with a pop up, but Kinston held a 4-2 advantage.

In the bottom of the third, Harper was plunked by a pitch to start the inning and later came around to score on a steal home.

After drawing a walk, McCaskill worked her way to second with a steal and later came around to score on an error to tie the game 4-4.

The score remained 4-4 until Andalusia pushed a run across in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kelsey Nettles drew a one-out walk and later came around to score on an error.

Andalusia needed just three outs to close the books on the game, but Kinston managed two runs in the top of the seventh to leave Andalusia trailing 6-5 with just three outs left in the contest.

In the bottom of the seventh, Manring drove a single to left field with one out and then stole second. McCaskill drew a walk and represented the winning run for Andalusia. A strikeout to the next batter left Andalusia with just one out left to pull off the win.

In steps freshman Haley Ballard, who rips the first pitch she sees into center for a two-RBI double to lift the Andalusia Lady Bulldogs to a 7-6 win in their season opener.