It was definitely not the final result that Aberdeen Central was looking for, but the Golden Eagles still found plenty of positives in their first ever home softball game Thursday afternoon.

Brookings pulled away from an early lead and rolled to a 27-0 Eastern South Dakota Conference victory at Koehler Hall of Fame Field on the campus of Northern State.

While the outcome ended up lopsided, the Eagles still made strides from their season-opening setback against Mitchell on Tuesday, according to coach Cassidy Schaar.

“You tip your cap to Brookings. They’re a really great program,” Schaar said. “After our game against Mitchell, we made three goals and we met every single one of those goals today, and I could not be more proud of our girls.”

While those goals may have been lost in the final total on the scoreboard, they were very evident to Schaar.

“We wanted to be the louder team and I think we succeeded in that with the energy,” Schaar said. “We also wanted to break up back-to-back errors, so we were a little shaky on that one but I think we did much better improving, and our last one was just having better pitch selection. We started putting the ball in play today and having a lot better at bats, so I could be in tears of how proud I am of them.”

While nearly all of the highlights belonged to the Bobcats, who put the game out of reach with a 17-run fifth inning, there was one notable milestone for Central.

Kylee Hoffman recorded the first ever hit in program history for the Golden Eagles, lining a single down the rightfield line.

“It was pretty cool,” Hoffman said, “just the feeling of hitting that.”

The sophomore said it took a second to realize what she had just accomplished.

“It didn’t hit me until I got to first base,” Hoffman said.

Schaar said it was only fitting that Hoffman would be the player to have the team’s first-ever hit.

“There’s no surprise that it was Kylee Hoffman,” Schaar said. “She’s a go-getter. She’s scrappy and gritty, and those are the types of players that we’re looking for. So, absolutely deserving of that opportunity.”

While Brookings racked up 19 hits in all, including 11 in the fifth frame, and Central managed just one, the Eagles remain upbeat knowing that with time they will catch up to their more experienced foes.

“Obviously, it’s going to take a bit to get in the swing of things,” Hoffman said. “Some of these girls have been playing together for a long time, so they do have that advantage over us, but we’re getting there. We’re working together, the team is good, they’re loud.”

Central had a difficult time in the field, giving the Bobcats extra outs, leading to even more runs.

“You take out some of those little bloopers and those untimely errors,” Schaar said, “and it’s a much different score up there.”

The Eagles are back in action Tuesday when they host Sioux Falls Roosevelt at 4 p.m. at Koehler Hall of Fame Field.

Hoffman said the squad will continue to work hard as the season progresses.

“The first goal is just to get that first win under our belt. I think that will take a little bit of pressure off of us,” Hoffman said. “And then just working as a team, practicing, getting more reps. Some of those easy outs, just make them more efficient and actually get them.”

While it has a been a rough start to the season, Schaar is upbeat and is thrilled to be leading the squad in its initial season.

“It’s been absolutely awesome being part of the Aberdeen Central athletic program,” Schaar said. “Every single coach has pretty much reached out to me, checked in on me. I could not be luckier to come into an athletic program with that kind of culture.”

Brookings 130 6(17) – 27 19 2

Aberdeen Central 000 00 – 0 1 12

WP: Tess Burns. LP: Kylee Hoffman. 2B – Brookings, Morgan Linstad, Madison Pantzke, Morgan Norgaard, Kymber Buys (2). 3B – Brookings, Ava Sandine.