The McKenzie softball team played tough against second-ranked Pleasant Home in their second home game of the season before the Eagles pulled away at the end of the match.

The Eagles put six runs on the board in the top of the second inning, but McKenzie answered with runs from Kristin Ballard and Markentia Ball in the bottom half of the inning.

The Tigers drew even closer in the fourth inning with two runs from A.J. Sanford and Kaylyn Brown.

However, Pleasant Home blew the game open in the last two innings with a combined 11 runs to make the final margin 17-4.

That loss came a day after a 10-0 loss to the Eagles.

“We’ve just got to teach the girls to make routine plays,” said head coach Miles Brown. “We need to play good defense and get in a position to win.”

Brown said he saw improvement in his team from the first game against PHS to the rematch.

“We did a lot better,” he said. “I’ll take the runs at the end of the game. I wanted to work Anna Howell in a live game situation. She did well after she settled down.”

The Tigers opened the season with a 10-0 loss to top-ranked Kinston, but defeated Hillcrest of Evergreen 13-10.

“Hillcrest was a good win for us,” Brown said.

McKenzie is being led this season by four seniors, Kristen Ballard, Kaylyn Brown, Nikki Lee and Markentia Ball, and Brown said the Tigers will need their leadership for region play, which includes Kinston, Pleasant Home and Florala.

“We’re in a very tough area,” he said.

McKenzie continues play next Thursday against county rival Georgiana.