TUNICA &045; A six-run inning was too much for Huntington too early, and Tunica Institute piled on the offense for a 12-2 win in Game 1 of the Class A state championship series Tuesday.

Game 2 is at 7 p.m. Thursday at Huntington.

The Blue Devils came up with two three-run homers in the first inning as Brent Sharpe and Lance Stubley each left the yard for a 6-0 lead after one. The Devils added another in the third and two more in the fourth to take a 9-1 lead heading into the fifth.

&uot;It’s my job to get these kids ready to play, and evidently I didn’t do a very good job of that,&uot; Huntington head coach Mitch Ashmore said. &uot;The responsibility ultimately falls on me.

I take responsibility when need be.&uot;

Ashmore stuck with Jacob Bonnette the entire contest, and the Blue Devils got another three-run homer in the sixth when Will Townsend went deep. The Hounds got a run in the second and another in the fifth off Tunica starter Sharpe but finished the game with five hits and seven errors.

&uot;We never put any pressure on them offensively,&uot; Ashmore said. &uot; Our ball club has been resilient in the past. We don’t feel like we’re out of this by any stretch of the imagination.&uot;