Just ask St. Marys softball coach Lacy Riggs.

Her Blue Devils squad accomplished that feat on Tuesday as it roared past home standing Wheeling Central 12-0 in a Class A, Section 1, Region 1 opener to take a 1-0 series lead before Game 2 at home today.

“We really want to win this on our home field,” Riggs said. “That’s a big motivator for us. We’re going to go back home being one game up now.”

As for Central, it was haunted by five crucial errors that turned into runs for St. Marys.

“I have no idea what happened,” Central coach Buck Davidson said. “Unfortunately, I feel like they were just happy to be here instead of wanting to come and thinking they can make it to the next level. These girls have to realize they deserve to be where they’re at. If they come to play ball the way they know how and not give them six or seven runs on errors, we’ll be alright.”

Freshman pitcher Cali Masters struck out five with no walks in a complete game effort, while limiting the Knights to only three hits.

“She was stellar,” Riggs said. “She is only a freshman, too, so she did great.”

Davidson spoke with his team about the importance of two-strike hitting against Masters before the contest.

“We just have to learn when we are down two strikes that we have to swing the bat,” Davidson said. “Only one thing is going to happen if you don’t swing the bat against her — she is going to strike you out. She knows how to hit her corners. We had that long conversation before the game.”

The Blue Devils jumped on the Knights early as they plated three runs in the top of the first thanks to an error that brought in two runs and an Ella Smith RBI double.

They extended their lead in the third as Layne Kincaid supplied a RBI grounder, Ella Bullman collected a two-run knock to center field and Breanna Price tallied a RBI single to create a 7-0 cushion after three.

Smith struck again in the fourth, this time with a RBI single off the center field wall, followed by an RBI groundout off the bat of Ava Childers.

Zoey Winland delivered a RBI single in the fifth, Masters recorded a RBI sac fly and an error allowed the 12th run to cross the plate.

“This was our best offensive game of the year,” Riggs said. “They are coming alive when we need them to come alive.”

Central pitcher Josie Frizzell struck out three and walked four.

Despite the loss, Davidson believes his squad will respond today.

“The last time we played this bad was the last time we played them,” he said. “I have no idea why things transpired the way they did but it is what it is. It’s just one ballgame. There are still two more to play.”