UNION — The Loyd Star Lady Hornets split a best-of-three seriesSaturday with the Union Lady Yellow Jackets in the first round ofthe Class 1A state fastpitch softball playoffs.

Union won the opener 5-1 and Loyd Star came back to take thesecond game 3-2 and force the third game.

Loyd Star (15-3) hosts Union Tuesday for the third game of theseries at 6:30 p.m.

Brooke Delaughter (13-13) took the split Saturday. Delaughterworked four innings and struck out 3 and walked 2 in the loss andcame back in the win to fan 9 batters and walk 2. Brittany Wallacestuck out 1 after relieving Delaughter for 3 innings in theloss.

Loyd Star 3, Union 2

Loyd Star (15-13) and Union were tied 1-all after the firstinning. The Yellow Jackets to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of thethird. The Hornets tied the game 2-all in the top of the fourth andwent ahead 3-2 in the top of the fifth.

“We came back after the first jitters and we hit the ball,” saidLoyd Star coach Jan Delaughter. “We got the hits when we needed. Wemade no errors.”

Powering the Hornets with a pair of doubles each were CalleyeDouglas and Emily Smith. Brittany Beeson tripled. Laura Britt andCarrie Moak singled.

Union 5, Loyd Star 1

In the opener, Haley Sones, Moak, Delaughter, Douglas and Beesonsingled for the Hornets. Loyd Star committed 2 errors and Union had4.

Loyd Star led briefly 1-0 in the top of the first. Seminaryscored 3 in the first and 2 in the second and held on for the winin the first game.