BULLHEAD CITY — The Tigers are still looking for their first win of the season. Though they haven’t lost any yet, either.

David Bell/News-Herald Photo. Telesis’ Javaree Thompson, center, slides in to score at home while MALC catcher Tyler Solomon (4) goes high for the late throw in the fourth inning of Telesis’ season opening game in Bullhead City, Saturday morning. Looking on is Telesis head coach Craig Bolton, left. The Tigers and the Patriots played to a 4-4 tie in the time-limited game.

Telesis and Bullhead City Mohave Accelerated Learning Center played to a 4-4 tie in a time-limited game at Mohave High School Saturday morning.

“We’re content with the tie. And by that I mean we’re not happy with it, but we’re not going to let it hang over our heads,” said Telesis head coach Craig Bolton. “We’re down three starters, Ernie (Celon, starting pitcher) has only had two weeks of work and when one of your other main starters goes down with an injury, this sort of thing will happen.”

The injury, to second baseman Jordan Klingerman, proved critical late in the game. Already nursing a bad toe, Klingerman aggravated the injury sliding in to third in the second inning. He stayed in the game and scored the first run of the game on an Austin Knight sacrifice.

But in the fourth, after already taking one strike, he couldn’t stay in and had to be pulled for a pinch hitter — Clayton Eaton — who ended up walking but couldn’t come around to score on an error, leaving the game tied 3-3 instead of allowing Telesis to take the lead.

Klingerman’s absence was most notably felt in the bottom of the fifth. Left fielder Fabian Damien was moved to second for Klingerman, a position Damien had never played before.

With Telesis up 4-3 after scoring one in the top of the inning, MALC got back-to-back singles from Aaron Alexander and Jay Norton with one out. Danny Warden hit a dribbler to second that should have resulted in a game-ending double play that instead went in and out of the glove of Damien, allowing Alexander to score and tie the game again at 4-4.

Celon induced a ground out and struck out the final batter to leave the game tied when time was called.

“I’m always happy to see the boys come back and put the bat on the ball,” said MALC head coach John Norton. “I thought they looked good today.”

Celon pitched the complete game for Telesis giving up four unearned runs on three hits, three walks and one hit batter. He struck out nine.

Warden gave up three earned runs on three hits and four walks in 3 1-3 innings. He struck out five. Jay Norton gave up one earned run on two hits in 1 2-3 innings of relief. He struck out one.

The tie leaves MALC at 1-0-1 after the Patriots defeated Phoenix Our Lady of Sorrows, 7-4, earlier in the week.

Telesis (0-0-1) returns to action this weekend for back-to-back home games. On Friday they host Surprise Arizona Charter Academy and on Saturday they host Queen Creek East Valley Athletes for Christ. Both games start at 3 p.m. at SARA Park.

For more photos from the Telesis-MALC game, click here: http://www.instantimagegallery.com/iig/c/769