Katie Channell wasted no time getting the fireworks started for Warren Central on Tuesday.

With two outs in the bottom of the first and Warren Central threatening to go down in order, Channell parked a solo home run deep behind the left field wall, opening up the floodgates for her squad. It was the first blow in what became an 11-1 romp for the Lady Vikes.

“It’s always great when you start off with a home run like that,” WC coach Dana McGivney said. “It gets your team fired up and ready to go.”

The Lady Vikes tacked on three more runs in the second inning after consecutive singles by Anaiyah Fultz, Brooke Patterson and Lauren Boolos with two outs. Boolos and Fultz both ended the night 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Patterson added another RBI on a sac fly in the third inning.

“We’re just playing well as a team and kind of just doing the things we talk about in practice every day,” McGivney said. “Kind of focusing on one pitch at a time and taking it one pitch at a time.”

Vicksburg hung tough in the early stages of the game, but WC scored five runs in the third inning to put the game out of reach.

“We’re still working on how to fix some of our problems,” VHS coach Michelle Fisackerly said. “I’m proud of every girl. They kept their heads up and they played real hard. There’s not much else you can ask for.”

Kori Screws scored Vicksburg’s only run, on Kelsey Lockridge’s RBI single.

The Missy Gators and Lady Vikes will square off again next week at The Softball Swamp in a crosstown rivalry rematch.

“It’s a confidence booster any time we can play well and get a win,” McGivney said. “We’ll take it any way we can right now. We’re first in district so it’s a good place to be right now.”