The Loyd Star Hornets dropped the first game in a best-of-three championship series 5-1 to the East Union Urchins Tuesday at Trustmark Park in Pearl.

“It is good to get the first game in and settle down in this big atmosphere,” said Loyd Star coach Jared Britt. “Our guys handled the big stage pretty well today. We just had a couple of defensive miscues that hurt us. Offensively, we just could not string together some hits. Overall, I was proud of our effort, but tomorrow we will get back to work to get ready for game two Friday.”

Game two of the Class 2A baseball championship will be played Friday at 1 p.m., and a third game, if needed, will be Saturday.

The Hornets (25-9) scored their only run in the fifth inning on a RBI single by Konner Allen to score Dawson Zumbro from third base.

East Union (27-6) plated two in the third on a RBI double by Thomas Moore, who later scored on a passed ball from third.

The Urchins would add three runs in the fourth inning led by an two-RBI triple by Joel Wilkinson and a RBI single by Zane Wilkinson.

Witt Roaton was the winning pitcher for Urchins with four strikeouts and four walks.

Levi Redd suffered the setback on the rubber for the Hornets with four strikeouts and three walks.

James Beard was the offensive leader at the plate for Loyd Star with two singles. Tucker Watts, Cade Hodges and Konner Allen provided a single each.

Joel Wilkinson was the top hitter for East Union with a triple and a double. Ty McDonald contributed two singles. Moore had a double. Dillon Eddings and Zane Wilkinson finished with a single each.

The Hornets starting lineup is Cade Hodges (.368) at pitcher/shortstop, Konner Allen (.400) at pitcher/shortstop/second base, Levi Redd (.311) at pitcher/second base, Tucker Watts (.455) at catcher, Bradyn Brister (.341) at first base, Parker Flowers (.407) at pitcher/centerfield, Lamar Lang (.272) at right field, Lane Rogers (.283) at third base and James Beard (.379) at left field.