Franklin Panthers (Franklin, NC) backers exited the stadium thrilled Monday as they saw their softball squad nip the host Murphy Bulldogs (Murphy, NC), 8-3 in a non-league challenge.

The Panthers now own a 3-0 record. They take the field next when they host East Henderson for a Mountain Seven 3A challenge on Tuesday, March 12. Franklin will battle a Eagles squad coming off a 16-7 non-league loss to Rosman (Rosman, NC). The Eagles record now stands at 0-5.

With the loss, Murphy falls to 0-1 on the campaign. The Bulldogs travel to Cherokee (Cherokee, NC) to battle the Braves in a Smoky Mountain 1A challenge on Tuesday, March 12. The Braves enter the challenge with a record of 1-0.