Something that has plagued Aberdeen Central this softball season came into play on Tuesday at Koehler Hall of Fame Field.

The Golden Eagles were within striking distance of Pierre, before a big inning broke the game open in a 14-3 Eastern South Dakota Conference setback to the Governors.

Leading 7-2 heading into the fifth inning, the visitors put up seven runs to take control.

“We tend to have those. The games over the weekend we did really well not having those and you kind of could see that in the score at the end, or the scoreless innings with really good teams,” said Central’s Kylee Hoffman. “And we kind of get a good matchup and I think we get the yips a little bit and it shows in an inning.”

The uprising featured a variety of hits and errors. While the Golden Eagles made some stellar plays in the field throughout the contest, it was the routine plays that cost them.

“I think those routine plays that we don’t make takes the momentum, takes the energy,” Hoffman said, “and then we kind of fall. We have to limit the one to the next error.”

Central scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning when Hoffman and Avery Bendewald scored on a ground ball by Jayla Breaw, who reached on an error.

Bendewald scored Aberdeen’s other run in the fifth, also on an error.

However, it was not enough to overcome the Governors.

“I think our energy definitely did deflate and that effects us a lot,” Breaw said. “Because in practice the energy is always high and we perform very well. Sometimes when the energy just goes flat we go flat, too.”

Central coach Cassidy Neer said the Golden Eagles need to remain positive, even when things aren’t going their way.

“We just have to capitalize,” Neer said, “and just keep competing and finding that competitive mindset.”

Whether on or off the field, Breaw said the players just need to keep bringing the energy.

“I think definitely just showing up every day, getting in the weight room, being consistent in practices is really going to benefit us in the long run,” Breaw said.

Central finished with six errors in total. Hoffman said a key is to move on quickly and regain focus.

“We always have a saying over the summer, four seconds. You get four seconds, you can hang your head, beat yourself up, but you gotta jump back in for the next play,” Hoffman said. “I think we really need to focus on four seconds, tell yourself four seconds, then move on.”

Central will now gear up to host Mobridge-Pollock at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Koehler Hall of Fame Field.

“We have to keep our heads positive and make sure that we’re doing things right,” Neer said, “and keep working hard at practice.”

While the Golden Eagles are still searching for their first win of the campaign, they have definitely made strides from when the program began two years ago.

“We’ve improved tremendously,” Breaw said, “and we continue to grow every day and watching it is awesome, and to be a part of it is even better.”

Pierre 142 07 – 14 13 3

Aberdeen Central 002 01 – 3 3 6

McKenzi Flottmeyer and Elly Broers; Kayley Kiesow, Kylee Hoffman (4) and Alivia Roettele. 2B – Pierre, Broers, Noel Kist.