South Hamilton catcher Mackenzy Grady reels in a high pitch against PCM on Monday in Monroe. Grady had two hits and two RBIs in the Hawks' 3-2 win. Newton Daily News photo/Troy Hyde

MONROE — With a slew of new faces in the lineup, the South Hamilton softball team turned to its veterans to lead the way in the season opener here Monday night.

And they more than stepped up to the plate.

Jessi Harms fanned 10 inside the pitcher’s circle, and returning starters Emma Lewis and Mackenzy Grady both went 2 for 4 at the dish to carry the Hawks to a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Heart of Iowa Conference rival Prairie City-Monroe (0-1, 0-1 HOIC).

“Starting with a win was huge for everybody and we played pretty solidly considering how many new people we had in the lineup,” South Hamilton head coach Harry McMaken said. “We’ve got some young people that are going to have to step up a little bit, but the older girls played really well.”

Trailing 2-0 after three innings, South Hamilton scrambled right back into contention with a pair of runs in the fourth courtesy of a Lewis single and Grady double to left-center.

Jessica Woodall scored the go-ahead run for the Hawks (1-0, 1-0 HOIC) in the fourth on another Grady base hit.

Harms did the rest, as the senior right-hander worked out of jams in the fourth and seventh innings to secure the win. PCM’s Riley DeVore stood on third when Harms struck out Lake Drake to end the contest.

“After we took the lead, Jessi shut them down the rest of the way,” McMaken said.

Harms and Emmaly Fields added singles, and Brenna Barquist drove in a run for South. Hamilton.

The Hawks were at Roland-Story last night. They’ll make a third straight road trip this evening when they take on Greene County in Jefferson.

South Hamilton 3, PCM 2

Monday at Monroe

SH 000 210 0 — 3 6 1

PCM 002 000 0 — 2 3 2

Jessi Harms and Mackenzy Grady. Paige Steenhoek and Riley Johannes. WP — Harms. LP — Steenhoek. Multiple hits — SH: Grady, Emma Lewis. 2B — SH: Lewis, Grady; PCM: Johannes. RBI — SH: Grady (2), Brenna Barquist; PCM: Johannes (2).