Haskell Indian Nations University softball coach Gary Tanner said in five years he hadn’t seen his team play as close to perfect as it did Monday afternoon.

But shortly after the Indians recorded a 4-0 victory over St. Mary’s College in their home opener at Lady Indian Softball Field, standout shortstop and pitcher Tara Lena threw out her knee in pregame warm-ups.

“Geez, we just looked so great in that first one, then it was like the air was sucked right out of us,” said Tanner, whose 2-6 squad slipped, 7-1, in the second game without Lena — who had to be taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for evaluation.

“Injuries were the thing that absolutely killed us last season,” Tanner continued. “Then here today for the first time all season we have everyone playing together, and Lena goes down. I just hope it’s not a repeat deal.”

The junior multipurpose player from Seminole, Okla., definitely was making her presence felt Monday.

While Haskell wasn’t exactly hammering the ball — the Indians had just three hits in the opener — Lena was leading HINU’s “exceptional outing.”

She scored two of Haskell’s four runs in the second and third innings and also drove in teammate Karie Johnston on a smash single.

“That really flipped the switch on how things were going for us. It was like we just all lost our confidence after Tara went down,” HINU sophomore shortstop Tiffany McIntosh said.

“We were just cruising in the opener. I couldn’t believe how well we came out. Then that happened.”

In addition to Lena’s runs, the Indians were placing the ball over the field with timely sacrifices. Senior pitcher Katie Renwick did her part, striking out five as St. Mary’s mustered only two hits, but helped the Indians with five miscues.

Haskell's Karie Johnston gets a piece of the ball during the third inning of HINU's victory over St. Mary's College. The Indians split a doubleheader Monday at Haskell.

“It’s just really sad for us to go out and play so well and then have such a deflating moment like that,” said Tanner, whose team will take off for a Spring Break trip Thursday to Florida, where the Indians will play St. Thomas University and then host clinics for members of both the Choctaw Nation and Seminole tribes.

Haskell 4, St. Mary’s College 0

St. Mary’s 000 000 0 — 0 2 5

Haskell 022 000 x — 4 3 1

W — Katie Renwick. L — Bradford.

St. Mary’s College 7, HINU 1

St. Mary’s 202 001 2 — 7 9 1

Haskell 001 000 0 — 1 3 4

W — Rousch. L — Renwick.