The Aberdeen Central softball team played outside for the first time this season, but it was Brookings that struck first and often on Tuesday afternoon at Koehler Hall of Fame Field.

The Bobcats scored six runs in the top of the first inning to set the tone for a 19-2 Eastern South Dakota Conference victory.

The Golden Eagles were playing short-handed and used a lineup that featured several players in new positions on the diamond.

“We had a lot of girls in new positions today. We’re short some girls just due to various things, so we had some moving and some young players in there. When you have three positions with new girls in the varsity starting lineup, that’s adversity,” said Central coach Cassidy Neer. “I think the ones that were out there and facing adversity, I think they did a very good job with that. It’s a humbling experience, but I do think our young ones did a really good job stepping up today.”

After the Bobcats extended their lead to 11-1 in the top of the third, Central got on the board in the bottom half of the frame when Alivia Roettele cracked a double over the head of the left fielder to drive in a run.

“I kind of just had to adjust to the ball and it was very hard going from a team that pitches a lot slower to a pitcher like Brookings who pitches a lot faster,” Roettele said. “So I really just had to adjust, and when I got my timing down, it just flew.”

Brookings tacked on eight more runs in the top of the fourth before Central added another run in the bottom half of the inning.

Alexis Hoag got hit by a pitch with two outs to extend the inning. Getting hit did not go unnoticed by Neer.

“Our girls did a really good job not quitting. Wearing a pitch was our first pitch of the season that we’ve worn and that’s something we’ve been talking about, not getting out of the way of that inside pitch and opening up that strike zone,” Neer said. “So Lexi did a great job wearing that one and taking one for the team, and just being competitive til the very end.”

Hoag eventually came around to score on a single by Kylla Aesoph, who placed the ball perfectly just out of the reach of the Brookings defense.

“(Assistant coach Madison) Roth has really been working with me on getting my hips turning instead of just leading with my head,” Aesoph said, “so she has helped me a lot with that.”

Aesoph put on the jets rounding first base, but then had to scramble back under the tag when she realized a teammate was standing on second base.

“We’ve been working on head dives (since) first day,” Aesoph said. “They helped.”

Aesoph’s hit was just the second of the game for the Golden Eagles, who kept battling until the end.

“We always know how to pick each other up,” Aesoph said. “Right before I went up to bat, Roth pulled me aside and cheered me up. I missed a few balls and she brought me back up.”

It was Central’s first game at Koehler Hall of Fame Field after spending the first few weeks inside the Aberdeen Dome.

“It felt awesome. Our energy was high from the start. Just new environment,” Roettele said. “It was exciting to get back to what where we’re used to, so we’re really excited to be here.”

The Golden Eagles spent Monday getting reacquainted with the facility in preparation of hosting Brookings.

“We came out here yesterday and we worked on all the little things. We worked on pop fly communication yesterday, we worked on playing balls off the fence yesterday, because we knew Brookings was going to be a good-hitting team,” Neer said. “We worked on lining up our cuts and our relays, and at times we did a good job of that and at times we did not. So we just struggled putting it all together consistently.”

After a long homestand, the Golden Eagles will now become road warriors with no home games scheduled until May 8.

“Honestly, as long as we have our team energy high, we’re OK,” Aesoph said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re home or away, we have each other’s back.”

Roettele is looking forward to being on the road with her teammates.

“A lot of team bonding, that’s what I’m most excited for,” Roettele said. “We get to play a lot of good teams and I’m overall just excited, and we’re going to play and we’re going to fight and we’re going to want to win.”

First up is a Thursday game at Watertown, a first for the Golden Eagles.

“You won’t see us for a while. We go to Watertown for the first time in our program history,” Neer said. “They’ll have a field ready on Thursday, so that’s very exciting and I think our girls have a real good chance of competing, and anybody can beat anybody on any given day in softball.”

Brookings 605 8 – 19 9 0

Aberdeen Central 001 1 – 2 2 6

Ella Psyk, Taya Twedt (4) and Ramsie Hinricher; Abby Frank, Sydney Hoag (2) and Alivia Roettele. 2B – Brookings, Brynn Flemming, Psyk, Kendal Linstad; Aberdeen, Rottele. 3B – Brookings, Grace Romsa.