The bad inning the Vicksburg Gators were hoping to avoid came early Friday night.

The Gators committed three errors, had one wild pitch and one passed ball that led directly to four runs in the bottom of the first inning, and Saltillo took full advantage to cruise to a 12-2 win in Game 1 of their first-round MHSAA Class 5A playoff series.

Saltillo (13-9) scored seven runs in all in the first inning, and two more in the second. The game ended after five innings via the mercy rule.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Saturday at 4 p.m. at Bazinsky Field. If Vicksburg (4-20) can rebound and win, Game 3 will be back in Saltillo on Monday night.

Vicksburg coach Derrick DeWald, though, is well aware the Gators need to play a lot better than they did on Friday. After only committing four errors in their previous four games, they had four against Saltillo.

“To be down seven at the end of one inning was very frustrating and disappointing. I really thought we were going to play well after the week we had,” DeWald said. “I really believe we will come out ready to play tomorrow. We came out really tight, and I truly believe it was due to most of the guys not having playoff experience.”

The miscues put VHS in a bind from the get-go.

In the bottom of the first, with a run already on the board and runners at first and third, Hayden Copeland reached on an error by the third baseman that allowed two runs to score. Copeland later scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0.

A dropped fly ball brought in another run, and Drake McCarter capped the inning with a two-run single to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.

Vicksburg got two hits and scored an unearned run of its own in the top of the second, but Saltillo answered with two more runs in the bottom half. Copeland had an RBI ground out and another passed ball allowed the ninth run of the game to score.

“The first inning really hurt us. We made three errors and never recovered,” DeWald said.

Copeland finished the game with four RBIs for Saltillo. Hayden Palmer was 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Dylan Hitchcock allowed two unearned runs and struck out 10 batters in five innings.

Marshall Banks went 2-for-2 for Vicksburg, and Gage Ederington walked and scored a run. Chris Farrish singled and scored a run.

VICKSBURG VS. SALTILLO

Class 5A baseball playoffs

Game 1: Saltillo 12, Vicksburg 2

Game 2: Saltillo at VHS, Saturday, 4 p.m.

Game 3: Vicksburg at Saltillo, Monday, TBA (if necessary)