SULPHUR – No. 1 Live Oak scored twice in the first inning and made the lead stick to cool off No. 11 Sam Houston and win the opener of the Non-select Division I championship series 3-1 at McMurry Park on Thursday.

It was only the second time in nine postseason games that the Broncos fell behind in the first inning.

“They just made plays when they needed to make plays,” Sam Houston head coach Chad Hebert said. “We gave away a couple of runs in the first that we haven’t been doing in the playoffs, and they came back to bite us a little bit.

“It is why it’s two out of three, you’ve got to come back and get after it tomorrow.”

After Cameron Washington reached base on an infield single and took second on an error, Live Oak’s Cooper Smith brought him home with an infield single of his own to tie the game. Brock Davis hit an RBI double to right field for the lead that bounced once before hitting the wall.

Game two will be on Friday at 5:30 p.m. The Broncos (35-8) will need to win to force game three on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

“We’ve just got to get in there and compete and play to the last out,” Gurney said. “If we can get through game two, we’ll worry about game three when we get there.”

The Broncos came into the game on a hot streak after sweeping four consecutive playoff series. They took advantage of three consecutive walks by UL-Lafayette signee Sawyer Pruitt to score the game’s first run with one out in the top of the first inning. But Pruitt settled down and struck out seven of the next 10 batters he faced.

Sam Houston had a chance to even things up in the fourth inning when Quinn Fiasconaro led off with a double and Grant Oustalet drew a walk. But Pruitt quickly squashed the rally with a ground out, strikeout and fly out. Pruitt struck out 11 batters and walked six while allowing three hits. Trevor Hodges relieved Pruitt with no outs and one runner on base in the seventh inning. He struck out one batter, and the Eagles turned a double play to end the game.

Live Oak (33-6) responded with a gusty call in the bottom of the fourth as Washington put down a bunt to score Brayden Allen with two outs.

“A heck of a call on their part with a two-out bunt. The guy beats it. It is what it is now.”

Sam Houston left nine runners on base, inducing five in scoring position.

Sam Houston sophomore Owen Galley pitched six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks for his first loss in five postseason starts.

“Gally’s Gally. He’s going to get ground balls. He’s going to throw strikes. He’s going to keep himself around as long as he can. He’s as good as you’re going to get at throwing a contact and not giving up a lot of hard hits. The first inning got him. We don’t make a couple of plays behind him, then we give up the double. If we limit the runners in the first, we’re in a good spot.”

Expected starters for game two will be Sam Houston’s Cole Flanagan and Live Oak’s Zant Gurney.

“Just got to clean it up tomorrow and get ready,” Hebert said. “They’re going to throw Gurney, a soft lefty. We’re going to have to change our approach a little bit and just go at it.”