Softball is a game of inches and Warren Central missed beating the defending Class 5A slow-pitch champions by just that much.

Tiffany Fuller was called out on a 7th-inning grounder that would have scored the tying run in a 2-1 loss to Brandon.

&#8220My assistant thought she was there, but we never should’ve been in that situation, down a run in the seventh inning,” WC coach Lucy Young said of the call that had Fuller been safe, would have scored Fran Brown from third and tied the game.

Instead the 2-1 loss drops the Lady Vikes to 8-3 while Brandon moves to 8-6.

&#8220We had a close play at third go against us, too,” Brandon coach Richard Jordan said of a play in the Brandon sixth that stopped a potential Lady Bulldog rally. WC shortstop Shawn Johnson made a strong throw home to gun out Brandon’s Whitney Warner, and then catcher Mandy Bordelon threw back to Brown at third to get pinch-runner Brooke Barrett to complete an inning-ending double play.

WC, unfortunately, could not carry the solid defensive work to its bats, and that is what disappointed Young.

&#8220Had we played with that intensity we had in the last inning, we would’ve had a different outcome,” Young said. &#8220We got adequate defense and made some big plays like Mandy’s double play and Tiffany’s outstanding throw to second to get a big out.”

The Lady Vikes had 11 hits in the game but five runners were left in scoring position, including a pair each in the first two at-bats.

Brandon got both of its runs in the first inning. Lindsey Keyes, one of the few holdovers from last year’s championship team, singled to right to put two on. Warner then loaded the bases, setting up Ashley Satcher’s grounder that was booted, allowing April Steverson to score. Shelby Rogers then singled to score Keyes for a 2-0 lead.

Fuller’s heads-up throw out from left prevented Brandon from extending its lead in the third. The double play in the sixth by Bordelon again held the score at 2-0.

WC finally got on the board when Fuller singled to left and then scored on Anna Griffing’s two-out hit to left.