With a basketball team in the regional tournament, the Tanner Lady Rattlers haven’t had a lot of live work on the softball field so far this season.

So it was understandable that the Lady Rattlers bats were slow to come around in their season-opener Tuesday against Madison Academy.

But the Rattlers woke enough to collect seven hits over the final four innings, including Ashley Hines bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh, which produced a 5-4, win over the Lady Mustangs.

“We got down, but we never quit, and we were able to come back,” said Haley Keenum, who started the winning rally with her third hit of the game. “They had an advantage, but we kept playing.

“It took us a while to get used to playing again. We’re back in the groove now, but we want to get better.”

Tanner trailed 4-3 when Keenum led off the seventh with a single to center field, and Beth Ann Flippo followed with a bunt single out in front of the plate. Keenum raced around from second to tie the game when Courtney McDaniel sailed a throw high to first base.

Madison Academy (6-5) walked Hollye Keenum and Whitney Stephens to load the bases, and after Christen Stephens struck out, Hines lined the second pitch off the glove of Lady Mustangs’ third baseman Chrissa Mayhall to score Flippo with the winning run.

“I just wanted for us to score,” Hines said. “I knew I didn’t have a really good at-bat the first couple of time, and I wanted us to win.”

The Lady Rattlers trailed 3-0 in the fourth when Christen Stephens led off with a double and scored on Hines single to right field.

Keenum led off the fifth with a single, stole second, went to third on a single by her sister Hollye Keenum, and scored on Whitney Stephens’ sacrifice fly to right field. The Lady Rattlers tied the game in the sixth when Alex Bohannon singled with two outs, stole second and third, and scored when Madison Academy catcher Courtney McDaniel made an errant throw back to the mound.

“We had a lot of luck tonight, and a lot of extra effort,” Tanner head coach Ginger Williams said. “Base running paid off tonight.”

The Lady Rattlers finished with nine stolen bases, including five from Hollye Keenum.

The Mustangs took advantage of Tanner’s Hines early collecting three runs on just one hit in the third and fourth innings to build a 3-0 lead.

Hines, a junior, was making her first start as the Lady Rattler’s No. 1 pitcher. She gave up five hits, but walked one batter and hit three others.

“I was real nervous,” Hines said, “But my team was behind me, and I knew they would have my back.”

Hines hit McDaniel with a pitch leading off the third inning. After Sam Deep walked, Shelby Norton followed with a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up. Megan Mitchell’s sacrifice fly gave Madison Academy a 1-0 lead, and Deep scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Autumn Benson led off the fourth with a single and scored on a double steal with one out. Madeline Barkley, who had reached base on an error, went to second when Flippo’s throw sailed past an uncovered second base and into center field.

Barkley raced to third, but was thrown out by Hollye Keenum in center field. Madison Academy head coach Brandi Hall argued the ball, was ejected, but then allowed to return to the field.