The first inning was a hurdle, as was the seventh.

But in arguably the toughest game Finlee Allred will throw in high school, the Hilldale senior rose to the occasion in an emotionally-laden Thursday night at the Lady Hornets’ diamond.

Allred, whose father, Kevin, died in July, allowed just four hits and struck out 10 in her first game without him, leading Hilldale to a 5-1 win in its season and District 4A-8 opener against visiting Checotah.

Allred escaped trouble in a two-walk first, then took a one-hitter into the seventh with nine of what would be 10 strikeouts, finishing the game by fanning Aurora Madewell with the bases loaded, two of which got there on shallow singles to center.

Credit Casley Dismukes and Layna Vandiver for ringing up a bit of tension there, but Allred had a grip on things and snuffed out the threat.

“This is the sport my dad and I bonded over,” Allred said. “I got out here and did this for him, mainly for him, but my teammates, too. I went out to start things off and was down, a little nervous, then I realized I got this, my teammates have got me and no matter how I play my dad’s always proud of me.

“He said a lot of things to me about my game but I knew that no matter how I played, win or lose he was always proud of me. He never said a negative word. Best softball guy in the world. He knew what to say and when to say it.”

Allred took two weeks off after Kevin’s passing on July 9.

“Ever since then, I’ve been here,” she said. “He would have said, ‘You can’t sit and talk about it forever.’ This is where he would have wanted me.”

A little over $700 was raised for the family from sales of T-shirts to supporters. The shirts included “King Kev” on the front and Allred with the pitcher’s number 10 on the back. The players had special ones with “King Kev” on the back, a nickname that stuck with Kevin from his daughter’s travel ball days dating back a half-dozen years.

Those who made purchases had a group picture made post-game on the field with the team and the Allred family.

Hilldale coach Darren Riddle watched it from a few feet away.

“Very proud,” he said of his pitcher, while pausing to clear his throat and settle a sudden emotional surge. “I’ve known her dad a long time, going back to her days in junior high. It’s hard.

“There’s scrimmages which she’s gotten back for, but they’re basically glorified practices. Then there’s real games, and you have the ceremonial stuff with a lot of people out here for her and her family. She got out of a couple of jams. She’s been courageous through the whole thing. She always pitches with a lot of heart and emotion and that kind of doubled up tonight.”

A pair of young Lady Hornets delivered key blows offensively. Freshman Avery Gardner’s two-run double and sophomore Madilynn Moore’s two-run triple, both with two outs in the first, gave Hilldale (1-0, 1-0) all it would need in a four-run first. It was a hard-luck sequence for Checotah pitcher Shaelynn Casey, as all four runs were unearned thanks to first-inning errors. She had back-to-back strikeouts before Gardner came through.

“Really proud of the freshman and sophomore for stepping up,” Riddle said. “We had some good hits but I thought their pitcher did a good job.”

Casey allowed eight hits and struck out four for Checotah (1-1, 1-0). Against her, Gardner was 2-for-3 on the night. Leadoff batter Lilly Beverage, like Allred, a senior, capped the scoring and a 3-for-4 game with a single to right.

“We couldn’t come up with the big two-out hit and they did,” said Checotah coach Levi Walker, a former Riddle assistant. “I think if we can make one play in that first inning, it’s 0-0 going into the sixth. But they swing the bat well over there, and we weren’t ready for the ones that came at us.”

There will also be easier games going forward for Allred as well.

“She’s not back to 100% of where she will be at the end of the year,” Riddle said. “But this one was special to watch. It’s tough to lose a parent. Super, super proud of her.”