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TRI-CITIES, Wash. — Facing a couple of tough Washington teams was a tall order for the Bulldog softball team, which played on grass for the first time this season in a 16-0 loss to Richland and a 13-3 loss to Walla Walla on Saturday in the Tri-Cities.

Bri Barlow had two singles, and Kaitlan Ward and Natalie Petit singled for the Bulldogs (0-2) in the loss to Richland in the season opener, as the Bulldogs struggled with errors.

“The first game the girls were so nervous. We did not feel prepared for playing a high level team when we haven’t been on a field yet,” admitted head coach Elizabeth Hawkins-Williams. “They figured out they needed to be more mentally tough.”

The Bulldogs played better in the second game, led by an RBI triple from Audrey Mattila, two singles and an RBI from Brooklyn Steiger and an RBI double from Tanis Davis. Bri Baldree struck out three, and joined Barlow, Ember Dewey and Emma Loutzenhiser with singles in defeat.

“The second game they talked a lot, played more like themselves. We had a game with lots of mistakes, how do we bounce back?” said Hawkins-Williams. “They started hitting the ball hard and playing defense.”

The Bulldog JV team lost 20-13 to Walla Walla, then hammered Mead 24-2 in their first action of the season.

Sandpoint is set to host Priest River on Tuesday, in a game that could be moved for fields.