The young Lakeland High School softball team did not have to wait long for a confidence booster.

The Lady Cavaliers followed up a season-opening loss to host Great Bridge High School on March 17 with a 6-5 victory on Tuesday to visiting Oscar Smith High School.

“They just showed that when you pull together as a team and keep fighting, that good things happen,” Lakeland coach Cara Byrd said. “I think we’ve got a little ways to go as far as confidence, but I think that definitely gave a spark.”

The win prominently featured one of Lakeland’s eight freshmen, Maya Feldt. She entered the circle mid-way through the second inning and pitched for the win, while also making the big play offensively in the bottom of the seventh.

The Lady Cavaliers were down 3-0 in the first inning, and Byrd said her young players’ discouragement was visible.

“Our juniors kind of pumped them back up, and then we just started chiseling away,” she said.

Lakeland scored a run in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth and one in the fifth. It trailed 5-4 going into the seventh but scored twice in that inning, the latter run coming when a hit by Feldt drove in junior Stasha Waterfield, ending the game.

As a pitcher, Feldt threw two strikeouts and gave up only one earned hit.

Offensively, Waterfield scored three runs, sophomore Jada Futrell went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, and freshman Kaitlyn Robertson went 1-for-3 and batted a run in during the fourth inning.

The Lady Cavaliers (1-1) visited Indian River High School on Wednesday and will host Nansemond River High School (3-0) on Friday, weather permitting.