For Mike Durre, it did not matter how many innings it took — so long as the result was in Redmond High’s favor.

After Redmond scored a run in the seventh to force extra innings, Savannah Mills led off the top of the eighth with a walk, stole second base and scored on an Audrey McKenzie single to send the Panthers to a 4-3 softball win over host Mountain View on Tuesday in the Intermountain Conference opener for both teams.

“It’s definitely huge to start on a good note,” said Durre, Redmond’s coach. “We were telling the girls it’s a new season. … We came up and executed in a number of different areas. We got some big contributions.”

Despite a dominating performance in the circle by Mountain View’s Kayla Berg, who struck out 14 in a complete game, the Panthers (3-6 overall) grabbed a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the fifth inning. The Cougars (1-2) scored twice in the home half of the fifth and added a run in the sixth to go ahead 3-2, but Redmond put together a two-out rally to even the score.

With the Panthers down to their final out in the top of the seventh inning, Scout DeMain drew a walk. Then, with Brooklyn Thompson at the plate, DeMain took off for second base on an attempted steal. As DeMain broke from first base, Thompson belted a single to right-center field, and the on-the-move DeMain rounded second base and headed toward third. DeMain was waved home, where she slid in safely under the tag to tie the game 3-3.

“She didn’t hesitate,” Durre said of DeMain. “We had to force the issue a little bit. They were a little late on the relay (throw), and she beat the tag.”

In the eighth inning, the Panthers wasted little time regaining their lead with an RBI by McKenzie, and Onika Mullins polished off a complete game to earn Redmond an IMC-opening victory.

“We had one error,” Durre said. “It was our best defensive game. We made some incredible diving plays. We just had those types of plays that kept us in the game.”

For Mountain View, Berg was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, and Brenna Popham and Madison Newman each added two hits.

“It was a hard loss, for sure,” said Mountain View coach Kate Hunter. “But the girls, it’s good for them to feel a loss so they don’t feel it again. … We made mistakes here and there, but I’m really hopeful and really excited where they go from here.”

Thompson finished with two hits, including a double, and three RBIs for Redmond, and McKenzie was 2-for-2 with an RBI. DeMain also had a hit for the Panthers, who host Mountain View on Wednesday.

“We’re a young team with only two seniors,” Durre said. “For them to get this first win in the IMC, it’s definitely a great start. But we turn around again tomorrow and have to turn the page. I think they’re excited for what is out there for them. They just have to believe in it and believe in themselves and trust each other.”