VALDOSTA — Lowndes High had little trouble winning its region softball opener, beating Coffee 8-0 in six innings Thursday evening at the Morris-Coats Field of Dreams.

The Vikettes (5-2-1, 1-0 Region 1-AAAAA) scored five runs in the first two innings, and put the game away early.

“It’s nice to get a region win, especially the first one at home,” Lowndes head coach Jared Dickey said. “We swung it well today.”

Lowndes pitchers Ashley Chapman (3-1) and Kailyn McCoy shut down the Lady Trojans, combining on a one-hit shutout. They allowed just two walks and the one hit, and prevented Coffee from mounting any serious scoring threat.

“I was real pleased with their effort today,” Dickey said. “Ashley and Kailyn pitched well. They’re young — a freshman and a sophomore — and they’re going to have to do it for us this year. I think they’re going to be a real good 1-2 punch. (Coffee) got a blooper in the first inning, but after that, they shut them down.”

Lowndes got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Dionne Bishop, who has been the team’s best hitter so far this season, lined a double to left center. Sarah Santana followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Bishop. After Morgan Harris reached on an error, Abby Agerter’s sacrifice fly to left scored Santana, making it 2-0 Vikettes.

Lowndes added three runs in the bottom of the second, all with two outs. Lauren Burns reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and took third on a Megan Rewis single. Sadee Scarborough followed with an RBI single, bringing home Burns. Bishop followed with another single, and Rewis and Scarborough crossed the plate to make it 5-0.

In the bottom of the fifth, Bishop led off with a double off of the center field fence. One out later, Harris stepped to the plate, and tattooed a pitch well over the fence in left center. The tape measure shot cleared not only the fence in left center, it also cleared the fence separating the softball field from the baseball field. The bomb was one of the longest ever hit at the Morris-Coats Field of Dreams, and it gave the Vikettes a 7-0 lead.

“That might be the longest (home run) I’ve seen here,” Dickey said. “Krystle Robinson hit one on top of the baseball field house (in 2005). That homer and Morgan’s homer were definitely the two longest here.”

The Vikettes put the game away with a final run in the sixth. Leading off the inning, Scarborough reached on an infield single and went to second on a throwing error. She later raced to third when the catcher’s throw back to the pitcher got away. Harris followed with a single that fell in between two outfielders and the second baseman, and Scarborough easily scored to make it 8-0 and end the game on the mercy rule.

Lowndes travels to Lee County on Tuesday.