Warren Central’s ace didn’t get out of the first inning and it found itself trailing Tuesday night against winless Murrah.

The Vikings, though, never blinked. A few key hits and a couple of big innings later, and they were on the way back home with an easy win.

Tyler McRight went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, John Austin Burris doubled, drove in one run and scored two, and Warren Central pounded Murrah after a rough first inning to win 20-5 in its Division 4-6A opener in Jackson.

The Vikings (6-3, 1-0 Division 4-6A) scored in every inning. They plated five runs in the second inning and 10 in the third after falling behind 4-3 at the end of the first inning.

“We know we have to do what we preach and that’s play the game of baseball, not opponents, the shape of the field or the elements. Adversity doesn’t phase this bunch, and that we are proud of them for,” Warren Central coach Conner Douglas said. “We dug our own little hole, but jumped right out of it.”

Warren Central starter Taft Nesmith allowed four runs in only a third of an inning in a rare bad outing. Josh Lieberman came on in relief and allowed one run over the last 3 2/3 innings. Lieberman gave up two hits and a walk, and struck out six.

“Lieberman did a fantastic job coming in and taking over for us. He threw great,” Douglas said, adding that he wasn’t worried about Nesmith’s bad night. “The mound was very poor so I can’t put it all on him, but we still have to overcome it. He will bounce back. I have no worries with him.”

With the bleeding stopped, the Vikings’ hitters kept taking advantage of easy opportunities. Murrah’s pitchers issued 12 walks and its fielders committed seven errors. A run-scoring fielder’s choice by Landon Stewart tied the game in the top of the second inning, and Tanner Chambers scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Chambers also had two RBIs during the 10-run third inning, with a single and a ground out. He finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

John Austin Burris doubled in a run and scored twice for the Vikings, and Brooks Boolos walked three times and scored three runs. Seven of WC’s nine starters scored two runs or more.

“We did what we were supposed to do at the plate the entire night,” Douglas said.

Warren Central and Murrah (0-7, 0-1) will play twice more this week, in a doubleheader Thursday at WC’s Viking Field. The first game will begin at 5 p.m. and the second game at 7.

Porters Chapel 9, Central Holmes 9

Porters Chapel Academy rallied from a four-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning, and then a two-run deficit in the eighth to salvage a tie with Central Holmes at the Benton Academy tournament. The game was called after the eighth inning because of a time limit.

Glen Alan Kittrell went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs for PCA (3-5-1). His two-run single in the seventh inning capped the Eagles’ first comeback and tied the game at 7.

In the eighth, Leon Simms led off with a triple and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Garrett Hutchins. The next batter, Brandon Thompson, was hit by a pitch to bring in the tying run. The game ended moments later.

“It was a team effort from all 18 guys. I was real proud of them to show a little fight. Down four runs in the seventh, it’s real easy to go home,” PCA coach Wade Patrick said. “I was just glad to see that resiliency, and see that they had it in them. I think that’ll give them a little bit of confdience.”

Simms reached base on all five of his plate appearances — two hits, two walks and a hit by pitch — and scored two runs. Ryan Collins and Robbie Riggin doubled for the Eagles.