Middleton, Fla. — Juli Woulard earned her first victory as head coach of The Villages High School softball team Thursday night in Middleton.

The Buffalo defeated visiting Lecanto, 4-0, in the nightcap of Day 1 of the TVCS Kick Off Classic, handing the first-year head coach her first win at VHS. 

The Villages (1-0) broke a scoreless tie through three frames with a three-run fourth inning, before adding another run for insurance late in the season-opening win.

Payton West had a 3-run double for VHS, while Layla Farrish also drove in a run. 

Emily Thompson earned the win in the pitcher's circle, striking out 12 over 5-2/3 hitless innings for the Buffalo.

Woulard, a native of Valley View, Pennsylvania, played three collegiate seasons at the University of South Florida in Tampa. She graduated in 2017 with a degree in health sciences.

Woulard was a standout for USF from 2014-16, earning American Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors in 2016, as she led the league with a .406 batting average that season. Throughout her career in Tampa, Woulard was also selected as the conference's Rookie of the Year and named to its all-conference team multiple times.

VHS returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Friday when it hosts South Sumter in Middleton. 

Cody Hills can be reached for questions or comment via email at cody.hills@tvcs.org.