The New Heights Christian Academy softball team notched its first win of the season in peculiar fashion Thursday with a 29-14 run-rule win over the Verona Wildcats.

The Cougars took advantage of Verona miscues, logging 29 runs on just seven hits in the four-inning game.

The Wildcats scored their 14 runs on just three hits.

Verona took an early 3-0 lead with no hits in the top of the first, scoring twice on passed balls and once on a wild pitch.

New Heights answered with 12 runs in the bottom of the frame, all off of just two hits — a triple by Jadyn Dean and a single by Teagan Martinez that plated Alayna McKarus.

The Cougars capitalized with scores on a number of Verona mistakes in the inning, including four errors, two passed balls, a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk.

Lily Moore also logged two RBIs in the inning with a sacrifice that scored Martinez and Dean.

Verona scored its first eight runs without logging a hit. The Wildcats managed five runs off of no hits in the top of the second inning to make it a 12-8 game. They scored on two Cougar errors, a passed ball, a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk.

The Wildcats added two more runs to come within two, at 12-10, in the top of the third inning off a Jaiden Long steal of home and a passed ball.

New Heights increased its lead to 13-10 in the bottom of the third when Kallie Spencer scored on an Anna Heltzel sacrifice. The Cougars extended their lead to 14-10 when Isabella Stephens scored on an error at third base.

Verona (1-10) tied the game at 14-14 in the top of the fourth when it scored on an error, a Jaiden Long single that brought Abigail Stott home, and another Cougar error that scored two Wildcat runs.

The Cougars scored 15 runs in the bottom of the frame to force the run rule. Those 15 runs came on a Dean steal of home, a hit batter with bases loaded, a Moore single that scored Martinez and Dean, five Wildcat errors, five passed balls and a game-ending steal of home by Jocee Baker.

Verona committed 13 errors in the game; New Heights had four.

Martinez led the Cougars at the plate, finishing 2 for 5 with three runs and an RBI. Spencer, 0 for 1, drew four walks and scored five times. Dean was 1 for 2 with four runs and an RBI, and Allie Stout was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs.

New Heights’ Heltzel earned the win after giving up 11 runs, four earned, on three hits. She walked 11 and struck out four in 3 1/3 innings.

Long led Verona after finishing 2 for 3 with three runs and an RBI.

As the Wildcats starter, Long gave up 19 runs, three earned, on four hits, while walking 13 and striking out one in two innings. Olivia Freiburger gave up 10 runs, four earned, on three hits in 2/3 of an inning of relief. She walked six and struck out one.

The Cougars (1-10) travel to Lockwood (13-5) for a 4:30 p.m. game Monday, while Verona hits the road for a 5 p.m. Monday matchup with Miller (13-3).