Madras scored in each of the first four innings Friday, but Mountain View needed just two big outbursts to down the White Buffaloes for a 7-5 nonconference softball win.

Madras’ Lizzie Steuart held the Cougars scoreless in the first inning and allowed her first run in the second. But the first two Mountain View batters reached base to lead off a three-run third inning that gave the Cougs a 4-3 lead. A three-run surge in the sixth put the hosts on top 7-5 en route to the victory.

“Confidence was a big piece” of the breakout third and sixth innings, said first-year Mountain View coach Kate Hunter, whose team won for the first time this season. “You could see it building — that’s where the three runs came from.”

Mountain View’s Kayla Berg went all seven innings in the circle and was 2-for-3 at the plate. Roxy Ruiz went 2-for-3 for the Cougars (1-1) and Skylar Garcia recorded three hits. Berg struck out 13, improving on a 4-0 loss at Crook County on Wednesday, when she fanned 11.

Steuart recorded one RBI for Madras, as did Delany Vibbert and Genesis Quiroz, who had an RBI double and also stole two bases. Mary Olney was 2-for-4 for the White Buffaloes, and Niyallee Cochran went 1-for-3.

Despite Madras falling to 0-2 on the season, Buffs coach Shawna McConnell described her team’s effort Friday as “very promising.”

“We can’t be disappointed. A lot of it is inexperience in the situation. We didn’t hit the ball as well as we did against Bend,” McConnell said, referring to the Buffs’ 12-9 loss to the Lava Bears in the season opener.

Hunter said she was pleased by the improvement between Wednesday’s season opener and Friday’s victory.

“Now that they have a game under their belts, they’re more comfortable,” Hunter said. “I can’t wait to see what they do next.”