HATTIESBURG – A couple of untimely mistakes and a strong pitching performance from the opposition has Loyd Star behind the 8-ball in the MHSAA 2A Softball Championship Series at Southern Miss.

The East Union Urchins (31-5) got 10 strikeouts from pitcher Lucy Cochran on Tuesday in the series opener, a 3-1 win for the Urchins.

Loyd Star (27-6) was hurt by three errors as only one of the East Union runs was earned.

EU used fielding errors by Loyd Star to go up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning and then they added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to build a 3-0 lead.

The best inning of the game for the Hornets was the top of the sixth inning.

Junior Abbey Burnette singled with one out and then moved up to third after a sacrifice.

Burnette scored on a single by senior Alyssa Leggett, but that’s all the Hornets would get as Cochran got a strikeout to end the inning.

Game two is scheduled, weather permitting, for 6 p.m. on Wednesday. If Loyd Star wins and forces a third game, it’ll be played at a time to be determined on Friday.

Leggett, Burnette, leadoff batter Carson Hughey and eighth grader Kaylin Hester.

Loyd Star is trying to win a state title for the first time since 2009.