CENTRALIA, Mo. - Blair Oaks came up just short against the defending Class 3 champions.
Centralia scored on a fielder's choice grounder in the bottom of the eighth inning to escape with a 1-0 victory Thursday night.
Payton Staggs tossed 7 1/3 innings while allowing one earned run on five hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. She also went 2-for-2 at the plate with a single and a double, accounting for two of the Lady Falcons' five hits.
Blair Oaks (1-1) hosts Russellville on Tuesday.
Blair Oaks' JV team dropped a 5-0 decision. Lydia Pointer managed a double for the Lady Falcons (1-1).