A loss is always hard, but if there were ever a loss that a team could take confidence from it was Tompkins on Thursday.

The Falcons took a tough 7-3 loss in the first game of their three-game area round matchup against Memorial, but the score line was misleading to how close the game was, as the Falcons out hit the Mustangs and had huge chances throughout the game that they weren’t able to take advantage of.

“There’s still a lot to be positive about,” once we settled into this game we were very good,” said senior pitcher Samantha Crumrin,” We just have to bring our bats tomorrow and keep playing. Things didn’t fall our way today but we can’t sit around and complain about that.”

The Falcons out hit Memorial 12-10 and left 15 runners on base throughout the game getting in good positions but not being able to cash in.

Memorial jumped ahead in the second and third innings. The Mustangs got a three-run home run from Brooke Kearns in the bottom of the second, but Tompkins came ack and made it a two run game when Kaylee Segura drove in a run on a single in the top of the third, before Tompkins left two runners on base in the inning.

Memorial added on in the third. Isabella Borego drove in a run on a single and both Campbell Zahn and Emma Alford tacked on RBI singles of their own. Riley Cannizaro then hit a sacrifice fly to make it a six run game.

“There were just some nerves in the first few innings,” said Tompkins head coach Shay Orsak. “We kind of swung for the fences early but they locked in and played to get one hit at a time. We just have to do that all game.”

Tompkins nearly got back into the game in the fifth inning. The Falcons got the bases loaded and Kima Sepic hit a single that drove in two, the Falcons got runners on second and third but again left two on, which they also did in both the sixth and seventh innings as Tompkins came close but wasn’t able to get back into the game.

“We left runners on and that sucks, but we had runners on every single inning, we know we can compete with and beat this team. We just have to get runners on again and we know we will take care of it,” Crumrin said. “That’s a good thing coming into tomorrow, we have that confidence and know what we have to do.”

Game two of the series will be played 6:30 p.m. Friday at Tompkins with the third game being played 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Tompkins if needed.

“We’re going to come out swinging,” Orsak said. “These girls are going to come out with everything. They play with so much energy at home and we are excited about it.”