Rainy weather forced the Issaquah fastpitch team to delay the start of its regular season by a week — and left the team with three straight weeks of nothing but practices.

“Three weeks of just practices is long for any sport,” said Issaquah head coach Jim Magnuson, laughing.

While the wait was painfully long for most, it was even more grueling for junior pitcher Mikenzie Voves. Last season, the Eagles’ ace was hit by a pitch and severely sprained her wrist during an opening-round state playoff game. Issaquah went on to lose an extra-inning heartbreaker to Kennedy, then was eliminated two games later.

Voves, who has chomped at the bit to get back in the Eagle pitching circle since last May, returned in full-force Monday.

“It was awesome to get back out here, because last year was just not a good way to end after a great (regular) season,” she said.

An amped up Voves struck out the side in the first inning, and finished with 14 strikeouts, as Issaquah routed non-league Tahoma 7-1 at IHS.

“It was disappointing to have to wait, and then today it started raining right when we were supposed to start to play. I’m just glad we got the first game out of the way.”

The Eagles jumped Bears starter Kim Reese-White early Monday, rallying for two runs with two outs in the bottom of the first inning. Molly Nelson and Kenna Olsen drew two-out walks, and Voves followed with an RBI double to left field. Tanika Ladd drove in the other run, hitting the ball off the shortstop’s glove for an error.

Tahoma fought back in the top of the third, rallying for a run with two outs. Voves struck out the first two batters, but the Bears scored after earning a single, their only hit, and a two-base error.

Issaquah answered in the bottom of the fourth when Amanda Marquez stole home for a 3-1 lead. The play was set up when Kelly Richards broke from first to second base and caused confusion with the Tahoma’s second baseman.

The Eagles padded the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a 2 RBI single from Kim Sekijima, a fielder’s choice RBI from Nelson and sacrifice fly from Olsen.

“It was a great start,” Magnuson said. “We had some key hits in key situations, and some good base-running.”

Issaquah (1-0) is scheduled to play at Liberty (1-0) on Wednesday and host Mount Si at 4 p.m., Friday.