The Grand Junction High School tennis team had a strong showing in its first tournament on their newly opened home courts. The Tigers won all three of their matches Friday at the Lowry Bishop Tournament, defeating Steamboat 7-0, Golden 4-3 and Columbine 4-3.

Grand Junction’s No. 2 singles players, senior Jacob Smith, won all three of his matches on the day, defeating Kash Charles of Golden in straight sets and Preston Gautreaux of Steamboat and Sebastian Lopez of Columbine via a tiebreak third set.

Central and Fruita Monument also participated in the tournament, but first-day results were not available.

BOYS SOCCER

Palisade defeated Delta 1-0 in their season-opening match Friday at Long Family Memorial Park.

Cy Hobbs scored the lone goal of the contest with an assist by Jack Sechrist. Palisade will be back in action next Tuesday, on the road at Rifle.

SOFTBALL

Grand Junction lost two games Friday at the Fossil Ridge tournament, losing 7-4 to Chaparral and 6-5 to Mead.

The Tigers’ bats were unable to get going against the Wolverines, as Grand Junction only compiled three total hits. Sophomore second baseman Alysa Lorimor accounted for two them with a first-inning bunt single and a third-inning base hit to center field. Lorimor also scored two runs in the loss.

In game two, the Tigers returned to form offensively, stringing together 11 hits. Four different Tigers — seniors Jaxon Clark, Alexis Walpole and Ashley Gonzalez, as well as freshman Avery Long — all recorded multiple hits in the game. The Tigers appeared primed to split the first two games of the tournament, leading by one run entering the bottom of the sixth. But a quick two-run rally from the Mavericks flipped the game’s script, and when the game’s pre-determined time limit was reached at the conclusion of the inning, Mead took the win.

Central lost their season-opening match 8-0 to Arapahoe in the first round of the Fossil Ridge tournament. The Warriors mustered only three hits in the loss.

Fruita Monument defeated Heritage 11-1 in a run-rule-shortened contest game at the Pueblo County tournament.

The Wildcats erupted for six runs in the bottom of the first inning, and rode their initial lead for the duration of the contest. Senior Lexi Hulet had a phenomenal day at the plate, going 3 for 3 with two doubles, two runs scored, and two RBI. Juniors Emma Lara and Addison Cutshall and sophomore Clara Denton Baleztena each added two hits apiece in the winning effort.