Despite losing several talented seniors from last year's team, Paradise High School still has big expectations once again this season. If the group is to get back to the state playoffs, however, it can't repeat Wednesday's performance too many times.

The Panthers' inexperience in the District 10-2A home opener against Cisco was costly both offensively and defensively. They managed a season-low three hits and committed eight errors in a 7-1 defeat.

"I'm very disappointed in our performance. We are a young team and being a young team, I believe you can attribute some of the mistakes to nerves," said PHS coach Scott Broussard. "We are much better than our performance today and we must bounce back and play better."

The loss dropped Paradise to 0-1 in district play and 6-5 for the season.

PHS pitcher Ryan Smart was solid early as he shut out the Loboes through two innings. He made it halfway through the third inning before his defense allowed CHS to get on the scoreboard.

Cisco scored three times in the inning on three errors, two hits and a walk. Cory Haley took over on the mound where he took care of the next two frames before Dusty Galbreiath closed the game with two innings of work.

The Loboes slowly put the game out of reach with solo runs in each of the last four innings.

The Panthers, meanwhile, struggled offensively and did not get a runner into scoring position until the seventh inning. Cisco retired Paradise batters twice on just seven pitches.

Toi Glover erased the shut out in the final frame with an RBI single. Connor Higgins and P.J. Fuller had the only other hits of the day for Paradise.