Saltillo’s sudden surge sank Vicksburg.

Saltillo erased a four-run deficit by scoring six runs in the fourth inning, then added five in the fifth and three more in the sixth to pull away and beat the Missy Gators 14-4 in Game 1 of their MHSAA Class 6A softball playoff series on Friday.

Saltillo (17-7) had six doubles among its 19 hits. A.K. Willingham had two of those, and finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs while also pitching a six-inning complete game. Willingham gave up eight hits, but struck out nine batters.

Vicksburg (6-20) seemed poised to spring an upset early in the game. Avery Van Norman scored on a wild pitch and Harmony Harris hit an RBI single to stake the Missy Gators to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

They added two more runs in the top of the fourth, on an error and an RBI single by Trinity McGloster, to go up 4-0. Saltillo pulled itself together after that, though.

After stranding runners in each of the first three innings, the Tigers finally started getting the hits to bring them around to the plate. Ten consecutive batters reached base in the bottom of the fourth inning. Caroline Hamm hit a two-run single and Kalen Watson a two-run double to tie it, and Meri Campbell Davis another two-run single to put Saltillo ahead 6-4.

RBI doubles by Grace Padgett, Chloe Skelton and Willingham in the fifth inning — all with two outs — keyed a five-run rally that blew it open.

Padgett finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and was one six Saltillo players with multiple hits.

Harris and Van Norman had two hits apiece for Vicksburg, while Lili Kistler and Makynzie Dunmore both singled and scored a run.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Saturday at 2 p.m. at Vicksburg’s Softball Swamp field. The Missy Gators need to win to force a deciding Game 3 Monday night in Saltillo.