New Central Lady Tigers softball coach Victor Pierce won’t go winless in his inaugural campaign.
The Lady Tigers edged the Vian Lady Wolverines 5-4 on Friday afternoon in the Muldrow Softball Festival to claim the first win for Pierce as new coach and the first victory of the season for the Lady Tigers (1-3).
The rest of the week were tough losses, falling 11-8 on Aug. 13 to Checotah, 8-1 to Warner last Wednesday and losing their second game in Friday’s Muldrow Festival 4-0 to Roland.
Day 2 of the Muldrow Festival was rained out and won’t be rescheduled.
In the win over Vian, the Lady Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after an inning, which became a 5-1 advantage in the third inning.
The Lady Wolverines tried to mount a comeback, scoring three runs in the third inning to cut their deficit to 5-4 but got no closer.
For the game, Ayrland Jiles doubled and scored once, Brenliegh Allen singled and scored once and Allie Harris and Camryn Gilliam each singled for Central.
Jiles (1-0) got her first win of the season, throwing a four-inning two-hitter with four strikeouts.
In the loss at Checotah, the Lady Tigers cut their deficit to 3-2 in the fourth inning on a pair of steals of home by Allen and Harris, but they got no closer as the Lady ’Cats responded with a six-run fourth inning to take a 9-2 lead after four innings.
The Lady Tigers tried to rally as they scored five runs in the fifth inning and a single run in the sixth inning to cut Checotah’s lead to 9-8, but the Lady Wildcats got two big insurance runs in their half of the sixth inning to take an 11-8 lead into the seventh inning.
In defeat, Alyvia Warner was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, Allen was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a run batted in, Harris was 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs and a run scored, Gilliam was 2-for-4 with a double and Brianna Taylor doubled for Central.
Allen suffered the loss, although she fanned three batters in six innings.
In the loss at Warner, the Lady Tigers cut their deficit to 2-1 in the third inning on a twoout, RBI double by Jiles, but they got no closer as the Lady Eagles scored twice in the third inning and three runs in the fourth inning for a 7-1 lead after four innings.
In defeat, Jiles hit an RBI double, Warner singled and scored Central’s lone run and Allen and Riley Rowland both singled for Central.
Allen (0-3) suffered the loss, going the first four innings with three strikeouts. Jiles went the last two innings with two Ks.
In the loss to Roland, Roland pitcher McKinna Cooper threw a fiveinning three-hitter.
The Lady Rangers scored once in the first inning, twice in the third inning and once in the fifth inning, which was the last inning played due to the time limit expiring.
In defeat, Jiles tripled and Gilliam and Keeley Poindexter each singled for Central’s three hits.
Allen took the loss, despite fanning four batters in five innings.
