By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

OXFORD – Defense has been a solid part of Spring Garden’s game this softball season. On Wednesday in the Class 1A state tournament against second-ranked Hackleburg in Oxford, errors proved costly for them.

Hackleburg scored three unearned runs in the top of the second inning, two more in the third and another in the fifth off Spring Garden miscues which led to an 18-5 decision in six innings.

Spring Garden drops to the losers bracket where they will take on Maplesville at 12:30 p.m. at Choccolocco Park.

Hackleburg held an 11-0 advantage in the third before Spring Garden tried to make a game of it.

The Lady Panthers scored four runs on back-to-back two-run singles by Maggie Jarrett and Addie Word to make it an 11-4 game, but Hackleburg kept answering.

Hackleburg scored single runs in the top of the fourth and fifth, and batted around for five runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach.

Avery Steward and Layla Ingram both went 2-for-3 at the plate for Spring Garden. Jarrett, Word, Helena Ingram and Kylie Bates each had a hit. Helena Ingram also walked.

Steward suffered the loss in the circle after working two innings.