Vicksburg High showed improvement in all areas during its season opener Friday at Bazinsky Park.

The Missy Gators torched visiting Sacred Heart 14-0 in four innings, then beat Natchez 10-1 in its second game of the day.

Vicksburg’s starting pitcher, Faith Thomas, struck out six and allowed just one hit in three innings of work against Sacred Heart. The sophomore, said she’s looking to build off a solid freshman year in which saw she racked up 132 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched.

“I’m trying to add a few pitches, like a change-up, but the main thing is I want to try and get more speed,” Thomas said. “I think we did very good in the first game. We have a strong defense and we have a strong lineup on offense.”

The offense had a new leadoff hitter, Torey Daniels. Known for her bunting ability, Daniels swung away and slapped two hits to drive in three runs. She also scored three runs.

“I’ve been working on my batting at home,” Daniels said. “It doesn’t feel that different being the leadoff hitter. I just do what the coaches tell me.”

After Thomas sat Sacred Heart down in order in the first, Daniels led off the VHS first by reaching on an error. She later scored on a wild pitch. Thomas followed with a two-out triple and scored on the second of five errors by Sacred Heart.

Daniels and Paige Bowser had RBI hits in the second inning as the Missy Gators took a 6-0 lead.

Kortni Newman and Morgan Callender singled in runs to start the third inning and Daniels followed with a double to score two for a 10-0 edge. An error and three passed balls chased home four more runs to make it 14-0.

“It was an OK first game,” Vicksburg coach Amanda Yocum said. “We didn’t hit as well as I hoped, but the pitcher was slower than what we face every day with Faith.”

Vicksburg finished with six hits and did not commit an error. Bowser, Blake DeRossette, Thomas and Callender each scored twice.

VHS 10, Natchez 1

Newman had two hits and three RBIs as the Missy Gators (2-0) pounded Natchez.

Vicksburg scored seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. Newman’s two-run double was the big blow. In the second inning, Newman singled in a run and Brooke McGrew followed with a double to make it 10-0.

Natchez got a run in the third inning off an infield hit and an error.

Thomas and Olivia Oakes combined for six strikeouts in the pitcher’s circle for Vicksburg.

The Missy Gators will return to action on Thursday night, when they host Riverside at 6 p.m.

It’s part of a long season-opening homestand for Vicksburg. Six of its first seven one-off games are at Bazinksy Park, plus it will participate in the Warren Central tournament next weekend.

Vicksburg is scheduled to play St. Aloysius, Natchez and Terry in the Warren Central tournament.