While the final results may not have shown it, progress was definitely made by the Aberdeen Central softball team inside the Aberdeen Dome on Thursday.

The Golden Eagles fell in their first games of the season, but showed some resiliency in a 10-3 setback against Pierre. Watertown then put on an offensive display in a 15-0 win in three innings in the nightcap.

Central picked itself up off the mat after falling behind 9-0 against Pierre. The Eagles battled back to within 9-3 and had a fourth run gunned down at the plate in that contest.

“Just their overall awareness of what’s happening in the game, and their understanding of different softball situations, they are able to anticipate and react based on those anticipations,” said Central coach Cassidy Neer.

She was impressed by her team’s reaction to adversity and they way it battled back instead of giving in.

“Yeah we were a little timid at the start, but by the third, fourth inning, and they started seeing what can happen when we get base runners on, we started having quality at bats, it was a night and day difference,” Neer said. “I just told them, hey if we can do that, but just start a little sooner, that script is different. That’s a complete different script.”

While the team is still searching for the first win in program history, the players saw what they were capable of as they clawed back into the game against Pierre.

“I think it would really help us if we came out confident,” said Central freshman Jayla Breaw, “because I think if we came out confident during that game, we would have given them a run for their money.”

Breaw did her best to help in the comeback. She laced a solid single to centerfield to help get the Central bats going.

“It feels awesome,” Breaw said about making solid contact. “It makes me feel like I’m contributing to my team and doing the best that I can do.”

Breaw delivered a sacrifice fly in a three-run sixth inning for the Golden Eagles.

“When we have runners in scoring position I’m more powerful,” Breaw said, “because my adrenaline kicks in.”

Kylee Hoffman started out the bottom of the sixth with an infield hit and eventually scored on Breaw’s sac fly. Reese Comstock scored on a double by Addison Ward. The Eagles had runners on second and third after a hit by Kaylee Kieso, and when Ayrlie Waldo drove a ball into center, Central added another run. However a stellar throw to the plate prevented a fourth run from scoring and snuffed out the rally.

While Central allowed 10 runs, Neer noticed that her squad prevented Pierre from scoring more.

“I think we had bases loaded at one point, runners on second and third, and we got out of those situations,” Neer said, “and that is what the difference is from last year.”

Watertown scored early and often against the Eagles, producing six consecutive hits in the third inning alone.

“Watertown, you just tip your cap to them. That’s kind of what we told the girls,” Neer said. “They’re going to be a good-hitting team, but we want to see stuff like that. We want to see what situations we might be faced with later on in the season and as we get closer to SoDak 16 and that kind of stuff. We want to prepare them for that.”

Central is back at the dome Tuesday hosting a triangular with Sioux Falls Jefferson and Mitchell. First pitch is set for noon.

Breaw can’t wait to get outdoors, but is happy that the squad has somewhere to play in the interim.

“It’s so much nicer to get outside. I think once we get outside it will be better,” Breaw said, “but I think it’s a really good opportunity that we have the dome, otherwise we’d be in the Simmons Gym. So I think this is benefitting us very well.”

Pierre 222 201 1 – 10 11 1

Aberdeen Central 000 003 0 – 3 5 3

Noel Kist and Gretchen Jungwirth; Kaylee Kiesow and Alivia Roettele. 2B – Pierre, List, Nevaeh Karber (2), Ireland Templeton, Jenna Buchholz, Micah Bufflo ; Aberdeen Central, Addison Ward.

Aberdeen Central 000 – 0 1 5

Watertown 276 – 15 13 0

Kylee Hoffman and Alivia Roettele; Lauryn Hirsch and Emmy Berglund. 2B – Watertown, Lily Pressler; Kinsley VanGilder; Jade Lund; 3B – Watertown, Sarita Stevenson.