Emily Sharman’s fourth-inning double drove in two runs March 4 to give the Pelham softball team the lead for good in a 7-4 win over cross-town rival Thompson.

The Panthers, who haven’t lost to Thompson in softball in six years, jumped out to 3-0 first-inning lead, but the Warriors came storming back in the second, scoring four runs to take a 4-3 lead.

“We stress contact and strikes, and early in the game we didn’t do that,” Pelham head coach Amy Sullivan said.

Despite being sluggish after missing several games the past few weeks due to rainout, Sullivan said she was proud of how her team battled after getting down early.

Thompson head coach Jake Parker said the Warriors just made too many mistakes.

“A couple of breaks went their way, but they put the bat on the ball,” Parker said. “We just made a few too many mistakes.”

The Panthers regained the lead with three runs in the fourth inning before Jessie Breland sealed the victory with an RBI double in the sixth.

Offensively for the Panthers, Breland was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI.

For Thompson, Ashley Short was 2-for-3, Ashley Savage was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Rachel Rigney was 2-for-4.

Becky Fox picked up the win for the Panthers, and Sullivan said she was proud of how her pitcher battled back after giving up some early hits.

“That’s the most and hardest she’s been hit all season, and that’s much credit to (Thompson). They was doing a great job at the plate,” said Sullivan. “Then (Fox) came alive. She kind of got in the zone.”