The result didn’t go their way, but there were plenty of encouraging signs for the Hoopa Warriors in Thursday’s season opener in baseball.

The Warriors fell 13-2 in six innings at Del Norte, but turned in a strong defensive performance and also enjoyed a solid outing on the mound by Steven Hatter, before the Del Norte bats took control late in the game.

“Steven Hatter did an awesome job,” first-year head coach Joe O’Rourke said of the sophomore starter.

Defensively, the Hoopa boys turned a pair of double plays, while sophomore Ihan Albers hit a two-run double to plate his team’s two runs.

Darvin Davis IV and Brian Gulley each also made some big plays.

“We’ve got to work on developing our secondary pitchers, but I was pleased with how we played,” O’Rourke said.

The 0-1 Warriors won’t play again until March 22 when they travel to Fortuna.